


Harry Potter and the Dance of Death

by Wakefan



Series: Shadows of Power [2]
Category: Earthdawn, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:21:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 43
Words: 360,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28681002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wakefan/pseuds/Wakefan
Summary: Harry is destined to stop Voldemort and his followers from corrupting and overrunning the wizarding world. Unfortunately, the Horcrux in his head is working against him. His friends and family are heavily impacted by its influence. Harry is on a long path of power and mastery. Powerful!Harry, Lily finds a way to live on, Casting Shadows Prequel.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley
Series: Shadows of Power [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552060
Comments: 17
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

Rated: M for Violence

This story will loosely follow canon and split completely at the end of Year Four. The primary focus will be the Horcrux in Harry's head and the use of ancient magic passed on to Harry thru 'incarnations'. Much of the story will reference elements of FASA's Earthdawn game.

The story will diverge from Canon in that the Horcrux in Harry's head affects others around Harry - just like other Horcruxes affect others in near proximity. His mother's sacrifice protects HIM, but others feel the effects of the Horcrux. This explains the many times the school seemed to turn against him for very little reason. It also goes to explain why adults tend to look the other way so frequently. All Harry knows is that people tend to let him down. In this story, the negative moments will be a worse.

An 'Incarnation' is from the Earthdawn game where a Light bearer (people who protect the world from evil entities) can pass on much of their knowledge and talents to a recipient. The 'greater incarnation' actually allows the person passing the knowledge on to serve as a "ghost master" or spirit trainer. To me, this is kind of like a 'good' version of a Horcrux. It would be like having a wizarding painting in your head that you can learn from. Easy way to 'level up' or just learn faster. Imagine having a tutor available 24/7. Even while you sleep.

I will introduce a few new branches of ancient magic from FASA's Earthdawn game. Elemental, Illusion, and Nethermantic magic. They are not more powerful than modern Magic's, but give a new dimension and spells that are not standard. They are in many ways more ritualistic and less flexible than modern spells, but easier to cast wandlessly as they pre-date the use of wands. A different take.

I like the powerful Harry stories and this is my way of accelerating his learning. He still has to apply himself, but the knowledge is now far more accessible. In this story, it answers the question of how Harry was able to become a Horcrux – Lily and James' ritual was used to prepare Harry to receive their Incarnations. Two incarnations to be specific. Since Voldemort had prepared a darker and twisted version on himself, the split part of his soul had a place to land, Harry's 'second incarnation' spot.

The incarnation is a form of 'Sacrifice' magic, powered by the willing sacrifice of Harry's parents. It goes hand in hand with the protection Lily set up. A Horcrux is a form of 'Death magic'. Death magic is similar to blood magic, but more powerful. It comes from the murder of an unwilling victim.

Voluntary 'Sacrifice magic' is more powerful than Blood or Death magic and that allowed Lily's incarnation to partially contain the Horcrux. Her incarnation and protections prevented Harry from succumbing to its effects and containing or 'Trapping' it in the scar. It may be trapped, but it is not a willing resident. It will constantly attempt to assert itself – affecting those around Harry.

Note that I call the part of Lily left behind as her incarnation, not her soul piece. It is a reflection of who she was when she died. With all her knowledge and personality. Her soul (and James' soul as well) has moved on, leaving behind the incarnation to watch over and guide her child. Again, think wizard painting.


	2. In the Begining

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JK Rowling owns Harry Potter.  
> Fasa games owns Earthdawn.
> 
> Special thanks to this story's Beta Reader, 'Just William' for your help and excellent feedback.
> 
> Note: the story starts at the beginning of Harry's life (in the books anyway) and will move quickly to his fourth year.

**-DoD-**

**Godric's Hollow, Potter Residence.**

**October 16, 1981**

Lily Potter sat in her family room watching over the sleeping babies in her care. Both Harry and Neville were sound asleep in the middle of a circle of toys. Under different circumstances, it would be a touching image. But not tonight.

Lily was beside herself with worry for her husband, James. Since Harry had been born, they had stopped participating in missions. Tonight, they had Neville while Frank and Alice were 'working'. It should have been a nice night in. Unfortunately, James was called upon and had to leave. The call came from Sirius via Patronus, which implied an emergency call. Frank and Alice had been leading a small team on a routine, low level, scouting mission. Then, all hell broke loose. James ran out of the house and Apparated to Knockturn Alley to assist.

That had been nearly four hours ago. Suddenly, she heard the distinctive crack of an Apparition outside the front door, within the Fidelius. She grabbed her wand, cast a quick charm, and approached with caution. The wards identified the person outside as Sirius Black, but you could never be too careful.

Opening the door, she quickly scanned him. His pattern looked and felt right, but there were procedures to follow. Holding her want out toward him she asked, "What did I tell you last night at dinner?"

Sirius looked like hell. Covered in bruises and blood, one eye swollen shut. "You said if I didn't like your roast, I could bloody well make my own." His voice was strained, and he seemed to be favouring his right leg.

"It was an ambush, Lily. They were in full force, waiting for us. If James hadn't shown up, we would have been done for."

Lily was still a bit in shock at Sirius' appearance. Snapping out of it, she asked "How is he? How is James?" The fear and dread were apparent in her every word.

"He's alive Lily, but pretty bad. He went toe to toe with the main man himself. If he had not been 'clipped' with a shot from one of HIS minions, we would have made a clean get away." Pausing to limp into the house and gather his emotions, he added, "James is at Hogwarts. Poppy is taking care of him."

"I need to see him! When can I see him?" Her eyes were suddenly flickering in the low light. Sirius knew that was not a reflection, she was just immensely powerful. Especially when her emotions kicked in.

"I can stay with the boys, go to the safe house and proceed to McGonagall's floo. That will get you into Hogwarts." Seeing her suddenly darken, he hastily added, "Dumbledore won't harass you today, Lily. I know you and James are annoyed with him, but he **is** trying to save us all."

"You have no idea what that man is capable of Padfoot!" Lily venomously hissed, causing Sirius to take a step back. Collecting herself, she calmly added "No, he's not evil, but he is a manipulative bastard. When the war is over, he will be held accountable." Then, almost at a whisper "Assuming we all survive, that is…" She then turned to look at the sleeping boys and Apparated away.

Sirius paused a moment to consider how bad tonight had gone. Sitting down on the sofa, he played the scene back again.

- **DoD** -

**Earlier that night**

**Knockturn Alley**

Sirius and Peter were casually watching a suspected death eater when the alley suddenly went quiet and still. "Why are we even here 'Wormy'? We could just grab the man and interrogate him. Waste of a perfectly good Friday night."

"Ah – but look at the quality time we get to enjoy, Padfoot. It's been too long." Peter was calmly leaning against the wall. They were pretending to be a couple of low-life's, out looking to score a sickle or two. Casually blending in with the Knockturn Alley evening crowd. They did it so very well.

"Hey Siri, can I 'bum' a smoke?" Peter gave him that pathetic 'I forgot my lunch' look.

"Sure thing, 'Wormy'. Oi, I thought you quit. No willpower! Course, you could say the same about me!" Sirius always liked hanging out with Peter. Peter made him look clean and respectable.

As Peter lit the cigarette up, a green bolt struck the wall right where Sirius had been standing. Sirius had shifted back; he saw the easily identifiable green flare a fraction of a second before impact. He may not be quite as fast as James, but he was still impressive.

Sirius suddenly felt the subtle ripple caused when anti-Apparition wards go up. Damn, a trap.

Bella and the Lestrange brothers were looking right at him from about 20 feet away. They had to have been cloaked or disillusioned to have gotten this close without him noticing. Peter had leapt to the side and landed hard – he appeared stunned. Frank and Alice were there for back up, but judging by the sudden flashes and explosions, they had their own problems.

Sirius fired off a quick Patronus with an S.O.S. message to James and started moving. Bella ducked the Patronus thinking it an offensive spell, then came up firing. Sirius knew, one miss-step, and he was done for. Dodge and fire, dodge, and fire, keep moving.

Peter was out of the fight, no telling what happened there. Bella was keeping Sirius occupied while the Lestrange boys were moving to flank him. Frank or Alice must have sent a Reducto their way as it knocked Rodolphus out of the fight. This bought Sirius just enough time to get his bearings.

Sirius knew he was a match for Bella. Rabastan was good, but not great. Still, two on one… better than three on one at least. Sirius knew he had to keep both from spreading out if he was going to live the night. Two on one odds he could probably handle. For a while. From the sound of it, Frank and Alice were experiencing similar tough odds.

Then, 'the cavalry' showed up. James Potter is a transfiguration master – on par with McGonagall and almost old Dumbledore himself. He is one of a very few able to use transfiguration in a duel. Over the last 2 years he also became a master illusionist. Combining the two was a winning combination in a battle.

Sirius knew James and Lily were getting "side training", but he never dreamed how good James had become. The Lestranges were suddenly battling a large pack of wolves made from the street cobblestones. The four death eaters battling the Longbottoms were contending with a dozen or so Acromantula created from garbage and debris. On top of this, two thirds of the constructions were illusions. But the other third was real and lethal. Amazing. The tide had turned.

"Just when I think I can let you out for a midnight run! Nothing but trouble, Padfoot." James had a way of joking at the worst possible time. Or maybe the best… His wand effortlessly constructing one new transfigured combatant for each one destroyed, along with at least one illusion. James had shown up just in time. He bought the team time to rally.

In about fifteen seconds, the only death eater still conscious was Bellatrix. Peter slowly got up, holding his head, looking around for his wand. James looked over at Bellatrix – "Surrender, Lestrange, you are out-numbered and out-gunned. Throw down your wand." There was no humour in that ultimatum. Too many lives had been lost and James was no longer throwing stunners. She would comply, or she would die.

Bellatrix Lestrange just smiled. And then, it hit the fan. At least eight apparition cracks were heard. Maybe more. The wards were apparently allowing Apparition IN, but not OUT. Frank yelled out " **Incoming!** " right as the killing curses started flying.

James was suddenly busy transfiguring physical shields to intercept all the killing curses flying around. Sirius and Frank were firing as many offensive spells as they could. Alice was working to bring down the anti-Apparition ward. Peter was firing stunners, but not very effectively. They knew combat really wasn't his thing. Sirius doubted Peter would score a single hit.

Suddenly, time seemed to stand still. The death eaters pulled back and a familiar figure stepped forward. "Well, well, look at this. Five little blood traitors. Whatever shall we do with you?"

Without missing a beat, James engaged him. The spells were flying, and a mist was slowly forming around the death eaters, blocking their vision. They were barely holding their own when a purple spell came from the edge of the battle and caught James in the leg. He went down hard.

Voldemort seemed more enraged that one of his followers interfered in his duel. "WHO FIRED THAT CURSE?"

Just then, Alice brought down the wards. Sirius grabbed James and Apparated. The rest followed suit. No one was uninjured. James had it the worst from the sneak attack. Once safely away from the ambush, they port-keyed to the hospital wing at Hogwarts.

Madam Pomfrey went right to work on him. He almost lost the leg, but she got to it in time. Dumbledore had been distracted by an emergency in France that turned out to be a false alarm. Definitely a set-up. Frank had taken at least one good hit. Alice was staying with him while the healing potions were working. Frank would be Poppy's next patient after James.

All-in-all, a bloody Friday night. Alice and Peter fared the best, but Sirius suspected Frank covered Alice. The death eaters likely ignored Peter in favour of the more dangerous targets. Sirius stayed until James was stable, then went to inform Lily.

- **DoD** -

**Hogwarts Hospital Wing**

**The same night**

Lily arrived at the hospital wing and was met by Alice. "Lily, he's going to be fine. Poppy is with Frank now, but James is in that corner behind the screen."

Rushing to James' side, she called over her shoulder a quick "Thanks, Alice." James was asleep. His leg was wrapped up and suspended above his body. James was not a large man, but he looked so small on the bed now.

Taking out her wand, Lily ran one of the diagnostic spells she knew. She wasn't a healer, but she had a few healing skills. The damage was severe. The leg was the worst, but there were lingering effects of a half dozen near misses and glancing hits from some particularly foul spells. She suspected Sirius had similar injuries waiting to be treated.

These were the monsters they were facing. All the while, Dumbledore insisted on using stunners and body-binds. What was that manipulative old bastard thinking? It's like fighting a war with rubber bullets.

She and James had received supplemental training with the Flamels – thank goodness! They had been inducted into the light bearers and each received an incarnation. James for Illusions and Lily for elemental magic. Between James' Illusions and her Elemental knowledge, they had brought a new dimension to the battles that the death eaters struggled to counter.

Lily knew that when she and James were in a battle together, only high numbers or Voldemort himself could pose a threat. Then she got pregnant.

The war was going poorly. Spies were everywhere, people did not know who to trust. The ministry was full of informants and the DMLE certainly had been compromised. One great shock was the revelation of a spy in the Unspeakables. It was certain that Unspeakable level information was getting out to Voldemort's forces. They knew how to evade the monitoring detection charms laid across Britain with Unspeakable rituals. How had it gotten this bad?

But the biggest shock was the evidence of a spy within the Order. Too many ambushes had been occurring. Peter identified Remus as a potential leak, but it was inconclusive. Remus had taken a vow and offered Veritaserum, but the suspicions lingered. Would Veritaserum even work on a werewolf? The order was starting to turn on itself. Remus eventually took a leave and went to work with the werewolves on the continent. Keeping them from joining with Voldemort. Tonight proved, once and for all, that Remus was **not** the leak.

As Lily thought about the turn of events, Poppy came over and gave her a hug. "He'll be fine, Lily. He's extraordinarily strong." Lily then broke into tears of relief. Hearing it from Poppy was all she needed to finally accept the horrors of the night and knowledge that her family had survived another day.

She could not continue like this.

James' leg was saved, but he would lose some degree of manoeuvrability. He'd also have to adjust his duelling style. Still, for the next few weeks, he had to keep it immobile while it healed. No combat. That suited Lily fine. Time for Dumbledore to fight his own battles. He should have been the one to respond – had he been focused on magical Britain; he would have been there.

She really had to get a handle on her resentment.

- **DoD** -

**Potter Residence, Godric's Hollow**

**October 23, 1981**

James was finally home and sitting on a large chair with his leg elevated. Harry was in his lap snuggled up. Lilly was sitting quietly on the couch, reading an awfully long letter from Perenelle Flamel.

"James, we need to talk about our role in this war". Seeing him turn and give her all his attention, she went on, "I just don't see how we can possibly win at this point. Dumbledore has become more of a hindrance with his pacifistic ways. I know he is powerful and needed for battling Voldemort, but he's a poor leader. At least not in war time. Not a war like _this_ one"

"Lils, I don't want to just give up and leave the only home I've ever known. He killed our parents! Our friends! How do we just run away?"

"James, we need to prepare France for his coming. The Flamel's have offered to put us up in Yvoire while we settle in. We can continue training with them and take steps to keep that madman from infecting the rest of the world." She then went directly to his sore spot "We have a leak in the order! Until the traitor is found, the order will just be whittled away. Do we just hide behind the Fidelius forever?"

At this, James just closed his eyes and cringed. The ambush he was injured in was a sore spot. No one outside the order knew about it. In the past, he had suspected Remus may have let something slip while influenced by the full moon, the ambush proved otherwise. Fletcher was the best bet. Maybe Diggle. Who knows?

"Lily, we have to consider the prophecy too."

"DAMN the Prophecy! Ok, let's talk about it. A person born at the end of July would be able to stop him. Maybe. If he doesn't kill that person. And that person APPROACHES. Maybe this person was born 20 years ago to a couple that defied him. Then moved away. Now is returning – or rather APPROACHING. It is a vague and self-fulfilling Prophecy. He must MARK the one to fight him. What does that mean?"

James had heard this before, but he agreed with the more literal translation, "Dumbledore seems to think it's either Neville or Harry. I agree with him. I don't like it, but I agree"

"I know, James. Frank does too. Alice and I think we need to get away and take the kids with us. We can transfer our funds and change venue. If Harry or Neville are the ones to stop Voldemort, we can prepare them away from Britain." Letting that sink in, she continued "It's time James. You know it and so do I. **We have to put Harry first** " She knew putting Harry first would have an impact.

James just sighed, giving in, "OK – We'll make plans to transfer half the estate to France. You always liked the Yvoire home. I need to complete the transfer in person. Once I am up to walking, I'll go to Gringotts. Let's plan to be in France for Thanksgiving." Thinking further, he adds "I don't like this Lily, but I agree – Harry comes first. I'll tell Dumbledore on Monday."

"I don't want you to do that, James. I don't trust him. Honestly, I'm not ever certain he isn't the one who leaked the last mission." Seeing her husband flinch, she adds "No! Don't you dare defend him!"

"Lily, come on. I know he has over-stepped at times, but to betray his best fighters?"

"He wants control of Harry and Neville. You know that James. He has all but said we should give the boys to him." Considering her points, she continued, "He can't be trusted to protect Harry. He will sacrifice all of us for 'the greater good'."

"No, Lily, I can't believe that of him…"

"Think about the facts, James: We know Severus heard the first half of the prophecy, but why did Dumbledore LET him LEAVE with that knowledge? Remember James – Self-fulfilling prophecy! He WANTED Voldemort to act on it. To 'MARK' his equal.

James, we wanted to wait until after the war to have kids. So did Alice. We were **very** careful. So were Alice and Frank." That got James' attention, "Yes, James, Alice and I talk." Continuing, "We all used to take pepper up and nutrient potions while on missions. Provided by Dumbledore himself. I wouldn't put it past him to spike it with a fertility potion." At this James just shook his head, "NO, James - I am serious! Alice and I have talked and we BOTH thought our potions were a bit 'off' last October and November."

"Lily, I thought the prophecy was made in December." James sheepishly pointed out this fact while Harry squirmed around on his lap. He thought his wife was a bit obsessed with Dumbledore. Nicolas has privately confessed that his wife Perenelle felt the same way. They must have been comparing notes. Now he knew Alice has concerns as well. The old man had better watch out!

Lily would not be deterred. "Maybe. Maybe not. We only really know it was a cold and wet night. Dumbledore never really shares details. I wouldn't put it past him to modify the date. But ask yourself this, James – If Dumbledore knew and believed in that prophecy, how far would he go to ensure it came true? That he had control? He frightens me James. He wants Harry or Neville or both. I won't allow Harry to be put at risk for his damn power plays."

Not wanting to fight, James shifted the conversation to action and away from suspicion and what he thought was paranoia, "OK – We'll reach out to the Flamel's and in a few weeks, I'll be mobile enough to start moving assets. Next week, we'll tell Sirius and Peter. Maybe Frank and Alice but be careful with them. Frank might let the kneazle out of the bag. Good man, but way too trusting. I don't completely agree on the whole Dumbledore thing, but you have a point about him letting Snivellus go. Made no sense. And no, I don't fully trust Dumbledore. But I do think he is a good man."

Lily looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn't want to argue. Severus was a painful topic to her. She always thought he would come around and drop all that pureblood crap. She KNEW he didn't really buy into.

Instead, Severus sold out her family and put them in hiding. Did he sell out her poor parents as well? Their deaths had been _horrific_. Had Hogwarts not been such a death eater breeding ground, would her oldest friend have gone dark? Another failure of the old man. Still, selling out her family – she could never forgive Sev for that. And if her parents were killed because of him, she would kill Severus herself.

He had written her, wanted to meet and talk. She never responded. Who does he think he is? Did he really think a married woman would just sneak off from her husband and child to meet with a man who had betrayed her family? Lily knew what death eaters did to get initiated, it was vile and evil. Had Marlene been a part of his initiation? The timing was right. That mark on their arm was not just a tattoo, it changed them. The boy she knew was dead and gone. The man left over was just a hollow version. For all she knew, he planned to kidnap her and keep her 'safely' with him. After all, Voldemort only wanted her child...

Realising she had been staring off while thinking about Severus, she shook her head and snapped back to the conversation. Now that James was finally seeing the light, she had one more request.

"James, I want to begin the process of Incarnation. I know we have only just been the recipients of it, but with what is happening now… With this war... We need to prepare."

"Lily, Incarnation is a major ritual. Extremely draining. We don't even have any apprentices ready." Pausing and considering her idea, he added, "I agree we need to prepare, but why now?" He knew his wife was brilliant, he just hadn't connected all the dots yet. What was she seeing that he was not?

"Actually, now is the perfect time for a big ritual. We are pretty much stuck here for a few weeks. I estimate three days for the ritual, then two weeks to recover. By then, your leg will be almost ready for action. Let's face it, it's not like we are going on any combat missions. I refuse to follow _the old man_ and you are still lame for another three weeks or so."

Taking a dramatic moment, Lily prepared for her big proposal, "We don't really need apprentices, because…" biting her lip and making eye contact, "I want to bequeath our incarnations to Harry. Both."

At this, James' eyes shot wide open and his whole body jumped. "Harry is a baby! We can't bequeath to him. What about Sirius and Peter? Or we could just use a pair of living crystals."

"No, James. Sirius is not mature enough to be a light bearer and… well, Peter is a waste of the incarnation. He is not a fighter. Not intelligent either. It would be throwing the incarnation away. Harry will need it if he's the one the prophecy is about. There is precedence. Perenelle tells me incarnations have been given to infants upon their parent's death in difficult times. And we both know Harry has a massive magical potential. If his strength grows as expected, he will do more with the knowledge we bequeath than even we could."

Lily continued, "Look, it only matters if we die. And we're taking steps to make sure we DON'T die. I just want to have a little insurance if one, or both, of us don't make it thru this alive. Think of this as insurance. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it."

To this James thought, 'So that's what her letter from Perenelle was about. I knew something was up'. James also noticed that Lily seemed to not really like Peter. That was odd as she was the one that insisted on **not** making Sirius the secret keeper. Dumbledore want to be the secret keeper himself, but Lily shot that down. Publicly, they claimed Sirius was the keeper, but they secretly chose Peter. Something about keeping Dumbledore and Voldemort guessing. He suspected it was Dumbledore she really did not trust. Lily noticed things James missed. Was Peter a risk? Surely, she would not have agreed to him if she had suspected anything. And if Peter had betrayed them, they would know by now.

Taking her hand in his, James told her his concerns, "I don't want Harry to be stuck in the role of warrior wizard. He needs to have a shot at a real life. One without always being a part of saving and protecting people." Shaking his head, he added, "And isn't there some rule about not giving the incarnation to anyone who already has received one?"

"I don't want to ruin his life, James. I just want him to **have a life**. Right now, if we stay in Britain, I'm not seeing that as a likely possibility. Not with that mad man after him. And if we win and survive, then nothing comes of it." Cutting her eyes and smirking she added "And who are YOU to lecture ME about rules, _Marauder_?" To this they finally had a chuckle.

James suddenly looked young and vibrant for the first time since his parents died. Nothing got him as excited as using magic and breaking rules. "OK – let's do it. I knew I could make you a rule-breaker!"

Lily then took Harry for the night. She would rock him, sing to him, pray with him, then she would put him to bed. James took the time to ponder on what he had agreed to. He really was putty in Lily's hands. And Harry had him twisted around his little finger as well. He looked like James but had Lily's temperament. And her gorgeous eyes. Hopefully not her temper, though. Hah!

James considered the 'Incarnation' ritual. It was an accelerated way of passing down knowledge and ancient lore. The Light bearer organisation, that he and Lily had joined, used this ritual as a way of preserving their knowledge. It essentially allowed a donor to bequeath, upon their death, a portion of themselves and their knowledge to a chosen recipient. When a recipient was not available, a magical container was used to collect the incarnation. Usually a crystal, but other magical objects would work.

Bequeathing an incarnation is kind of like giving the recipient 24/7 access to a very well-made magical painting. Private tutoring, from leading authorities, inside your own head. It required a gruelling ritual to be performed by both the donor and the recipient, although ninety nine percent of the drain was on the donor. Or in this case, donors. It would guarantee Harry a chance to know his parents if either or both were killed.

It would also give Harry a **HUGE** advantage. James had benefited from the incarnation bequeathed from a master illusionist and Lily from a master elementalist. Those incarnations had been stored in living crystal gems upon the deaths of the donors and entrusted to Nicolas and Perenelle until suitable candidates had been found. The illusionist died over nine hundred years ago. The elementalist, over sixteen hundred years ago. Nicolas chose James and Perenelle chose Lily. The Flamels had helped them through the rituals and the adjustments to their magic. Over the course of two years, they were able to absorb and integrate the new knowledge.

To the outside world, they were earning the transfiguration and charms mastery. And this was in fact true, but they were also gaining a very specialised understanding in Elemental and Illusionist magic. A double mastery for each of them, in truth.

The knowledge goes back to ancient times. The spells and talents that can be learned were not more **powerful** than what modern spells could achieve, but they had a different approach to them. The incarnation provided instant access to knowledge and experience that would normally take a lifetime to garner. The ancients were less wand-dependent and more holistic, and ritual based in their approach to a 'type' of magic. A great way to compliment modern approaches to magic with ancient approaches. In addition to the illusionist and elemental lore, Harry would have access to James' prodigy level knowledge of transfiguration and Lily's equally amazing charms knowledge.

The reason no single individual was supposed to receive more than one incarnation is that it could produce a massively powerful and potentially unbalanced wizard. Also, it was putting all your eggs in one basket, so to speak. Loss of one wizard or witch could result in the loss of the knowledge from multiple incarnations. The light bearers preferred to balance the knowledge and lore of the ages out amongst themselves. James and Lily would be breaking a major rule in doing this. But Harry would be far more likely to survive. And he would always know his Parents. ASSUMING they die. James had no intention of dying. Viva La France!

- **DoD** -

**That same evening**

**Somewhere in Diagon Alley**

Peter was terrified. He set up Frank and Alice in the ambush, but it didn't go as planned. First, Sirius volunteered to tag along. Peter really didn't want one of his friends to die, but he couldn't talk Sirius out of it. Since James dropped out of active missions, Sirius was frequently bored. And he liked Peter. One of the few people who _actually_ liked him.

Sirius added to Frank and Alice, improving the odds slightly against the death eaters. Slightly was all it took. When Peter gave the signal, lighting the cigarette, the odds were no longer seven Death Eaters against two. Now it was seven Death Eaters against three powerful Order members. And Sirius was out of the ambush position.

This threw off the Lestranges who had planned to take out the Longbottoms in under 15 seconds. Sirius was a wickedly dangerous wizard, a match for Bellatrix, even. Once James got there, it all went south. In the heat of the moment, Peter had managed to take James out with a particularly nasty spell Augustus Rookwood had taught him. He did it from a hidden vantage point. James' mist worked in his favour to hide his actions. Unfortunately, it seemed to infuriate the Dark Lord that he had interfered in their duel.

He was a dead man. The Dark Lord would know he fired the curse. The Lestranges would hold him accountable for the failed ambush. If it got out that he was the traitor in the order, they would turn on him as well. He had only one thing to give. One thing to offer. The secret location of the Potters. No going back from there. He would be a marked Death Eater and a part of the inner circle. He would be a Death Eater, thru and thru. And his friends would be dead. The little boy that called him 'Uncle Petey' would die.

'Time to face the music', Peter thought as he Apparated away.

- **DoD** -

**Godric's Hollow, Potter Residence**

**October 30th, 1981**

Peter spent the day over at the Potters. Lily and James had been exhausted from some ritual they had performed. He was on 'babysitting' duty. He took Harry out into the yard and watched him play. He really cared for Harry. They ran around and kicked a ball. Harry was an agile little fellow, like his dad. But the eyes and the temperament were all Lily.

Peter had begged the Dark Lord to spare the boy. To let Peter raise him… as a pureblood. But the Dark Lord had only laughed and proclaimed that the child would suffer for the defiance of the father. Ironically, Severus had appealed for Lily to be saved. His request was granted, if she did not defy his lordship. That is pretty much the same as saying, 'if she hands her husband and child over to death, I will spare her.' Never going to happen.

Peter used him time with Harry to plant the ward stones Rookwood had given him on the corners of the property. They were designed to create an anti-apparition and anti-portkey ward. Peter also set up the ward 'splitter' at the front gate to let the Dark Lord through the family wards without pause. Once in, he would activate the ward stones Peter had placed and the Potters would be trapped.

Peter noted the lightning bolt shape on Harry's forehead. Put there in magical ink. It looked a little like a rune of power like the Sowilo rune, but with extra angles to it. More like a stylistic lightning bolt. Not Celtic or Norse. Could it be Minoan, maybe? This was old magic. Protection magic. But it wouldn't be enough… His forearm was sore and irritated from where he had been granted the mark. It was not just a tattoo; it was something far more. Far worse. He could feel it changing him. Claiming him. He was saddened for what he had lost, even though he was not sure what it was.

It was almost time for him to leave. He would report that the property was ready. Tomorrow night, the Potters would be targeted and killed by the Dark Lord himself. In their current state, it wouldn't even be a challenge. James was still barely able to walk, let alone dodge. So much of his duelling skill involved mobility... And they both looked completely exhausted from whatever ritual they had performed. Physically and magically. Well, he could give Harry one last fun day. Poor little fella. "Hey, Harry, want to play horsey?"

Harry ran up and hugged him. "I Love you, Unca Petey!" Peter never felt lower than this day. If only… "I love you too, Harry. I swear I do." Then, so silently no one could hear him, "I'm sorry."

The trap was set. Tomorrow, the Potters would die. No force on earth could save them now.

- **DoD** -

**Godric's Hollow, Potter Residence**

**October 31st, 1981**

Sirius Black came immediately when the Potter wards were breached. He had to ride his bike to the house as he was out riding high above the clouds when he felt the wards give. No Apparitions at this height. He was the last line of defence they built into the wards. Once breached, he would be notified. The bike was fast, but precious minutes were lost. 'Why couldn't he have been on the ground? Then he could have just apparated in? SPEED! He was there in 5 minutes flat. Three minutes too late.

What he found was a scene from his worst nightmare. James, dead on the floor. Lily, dead beside Harry's crib. Harry, crying hysterically with blood all over his face. A body, reduced to ash, was lying across from Lily's body. Was that... Voldemort? The wand looked right. In a fit of anger, he kicked the vile wand out of the room, through the enormous hole in the wall, and into the yard below.

Looking around, the whole room was in disarray, a massive explosion had destroyed all but the crib. Some ancient dagger had been embedded in the wall. He lifted Harry out of the crib and performed a quick healing spell on the child, followed with a calming spell. As he exited the room, he called for Pipsey – the Potter house elf. "Pipsey, take all the valuable and personal belongings to the vault. Then, re-activate the wards – Potter family setting only. No exceptions. The house is not safe. Once everything is in order, go to Hogwarts." Pipsey was crying and in shock. But she did as she was told.

The Fidelius was broken, but Sirius knew the elf would soon re-activate the wards that had been sabotaged, sealing the inside of the house. That would prevent anyone from looting or wandering around in an unsafe construction. He levitated James and Lilly to the front yard. He could not leave them in there. Then he saw him – Peter. Picking up Voldemort's wand, where he had kicked it.

All the pieces came together. "You cowardly Rat!" I'll kill you for this!" Peter transformed and scurried away. No, he would **not** get away with this.

Suddenly, Hagrid showed up. They consoled each other. Tears were shed. Sirius was in shock and could never remember the exact words shared. He handed Harry to Hagrid and the keys to his bike, then left to pursue Peter…

Harry fell into a fitful sleep while in Hagrid's arms. He felt the nightmares start and an unbelievably dark presence. Then, the presence was shut out.

Then, there was mummy – holding him. Loving him! "Shush my darling, I'm with you now. I'll protect you." She rocked him until he was calm in his dreaming.

"Dada?" Harry inquired. Wondering where his father was.

"I don't know dear, I don't know…."

Hagrid looked down while flying Sirius' enchanted motorcycle. He saw Harry asleep. He looked like he was having a nightmare, but then he settled down and just looked so peaceful and happy Hagrid just smiled thru his tears. "Ya just sleep, lil fella. No one will hurt ya now. Ya seem happy… ya deserve ta be happy."

To be continued.

**—DoD—**

**Authors Notes:**

**This is purely my opinion and observations, along with the direction I am taking the story. Not Canon, but plenty of overlap and interpretation. It sets the scene for the story.**

**in this story, Lily was not a Dumbledore lover. She likely blamed him for the blood purity rubbish she went through in school. I imagine she was picked on constantly by many of the purebloods. Dumbledore was the headmaster and he did too little to curtail the abuses. Imagine a school in the today's modern world where racial insults and bullying were allowed and left unpunished. And we know that Hogwarts students are frequently sent to the hospital ward due to pranks and bullying. Some might call it assault. Dumbledore called it unfortunate behaviour. The muggle-born and half-blood students likely have a lot of issues and resentments.**

**James thinks Lily is reaching with the fertility potions. It may have been nothing, but the way things taste different when a woman is pregnant (at least that is what my wife told me). Old Dumbledore may have realised Lily and Alice were pregnant and added a bit of pre-natal 'goodness' to their potions. That would be in character. Can't completely rule out the fertility potions, though. He was a manipulative bastard in Canon. Some questions have no answers – but the dates are off. Possibly. Do we really know when the prophesy originally occurred? Harry is kind of small. Premature? This may or may not ever be resolved.**

**Lily was spot on about Severus, though. As a Death Eater he had to have participated in a some really bad stuff. Never really had to answer for it, either. I have no doubt he would have kidnapped Lily if he could have. For 'her own good'. He is one messed up dude. I've read stories where he is a noble and miss-understood hero. This is NOT one of those stories. He went dark and made horrible choices. Now he, like Peter, must live with it.**

**James has about given up on Dumbledore at this point and his wife has finally convinced him to break ties. He is down about the death of his parents and the fact that they were forced into hiding. He knows how evil the Death Eaters are and it likely pains him that they were originally persuaded to only use stunners and non-lethal spells. Now, he is fighting the same people that he has beaten over and over. Wondering if any of the people he 'stunned' were responsible for his or Lily's parents' death. In this chapter, he is just fed up with having his hands tied and he's tired of losing.**

**Dumbledore made a lot of mistakes early in the war. I have no doubt he could have ended it in a few months if he had been more direct in the beginning. But then there would have been other problems. He underestimated Tom's power and the depths he was willing to descend to. Dumbledore mistakenly thought he could isolate Tom and defeat him before his movement grew. He tried to settle the internal civil war with minimal loss of life by using less than lethal spells.**

**You must keep in mind, most of the death eaters are the children of the ruling class of wizarding Britain. In Dumbledore's mind, killing so many pureblood heirs and children of Wizengamot members, would have resulted in complete upheaval and greater support for Voldemort. Unfortunately, when it came to true evil, you could not 'Kill them with Kindness". By the time he woke up and saw the depths of Tom's corruption, the 'light' families had been decimated and what was left of his support was crumbling. The war was nearly over, and he was losing.**

**Dumbledore was desperate. He had to know he'd screwed up horribly and waited too long to treat this like a war. The prophecy must have seemed like a gift from heaven. In my mind, and in this story, he has extreme trouble sleeping at night due to his many miscalculations in this horrific war. Tom is NOT Grindelwald. He did not fight a traditional fight and there was no interest in some kind of 'greater good'. I remember in the half blood prince where Dumbledore admits to Harry that, had he known how evil Tom would become, he would have killed him as a child. THAT is telling.**

**in this story, Dumbledore is not a villain, but he frequently makes people reluctant to trust him. Primarily because he makes mistakes and fails to collaborate with his allies. His mistakes appear so much worse because he makes mistakes with other people's lives. He thinks he is the smartest person in the room, and he may be right. But he has no street smarts. And he is stretched so very thin. Again, not a villain, but far from perfect.**

**I decided to have James and Lily branch out to learn magical disciplines beyond what is taught at Hogwarts. To this end, Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel seemed like good trainers/mentors. I made James a master of illusion (Chosen by Nicolas for an illusion master's incarnation) to go with his transfiguration skills as I thought they went together very effectively. Throw in his Marauder background and you have a very cunning and dangerous wizard.**

**Lily, I made an Elemental mistress (Perenelle chose her for that incarnation) to go with her charm's mastery and potions knowledge. I always envisioned her having a lot of raw power. Elemental magic just seems to fit. Redheads can be dangerous! I really think Lily and James together could give Voldemort or Dumbledore a run for their money.**

**Finally, we have poor Peter. Ultimately, he was just a coward. He really liked James and was extremely fond of Harry. In a way, this is Lily's fault as she convinced James to switch secret keepers so Dumbledore would not know who to apply pressure to. Peter probably thought he was playing both sides, but never planned to sacrifice James and Sirius and especially Harry. But his own skin was too important to him. He lacked Severus' skill, occlumency, and courage to be a double agent. Now that he has taken the mark, he'll never be the same. He must live with what he has done to the only people that ever really believed in him.**

**Incarnations and light bearers are part of the Earthdawn game by FASA games.**


	3. Meet the Dursley's

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to this story's Beta Reader, 'Just William' for your help and excellent feedback.
> 
> JK Rowling owns Harry Potter  
> FASA owns Earthdawn

**Meet the Dursley's**

**4 Privet Drive Little Whinging, Surrey**

**Dursley Residence**

**—DoD—**

**November 1, 1981**

Vernon Dursley was in a great mood. He had a wonderful wife, a young son that took after him, a beautiful new home and he had just been promoted to Senior Manager at Grunnings. It was a glorious Sunday morning and he was up early to enjoy it.

Reaching the bottom of the steps, he did a few short stretches to relieve his lower back. Vernon was a large and powerfully built man who was just beginning to get a little thick around his middle. His new phrase of choice was "diet starts tomorrow."

Shuffling into the kitchen, he started a pot of coffee and put two slices of bread in the toaster. Petunia had been up late last night caring for Dudley who was sick from eating too much Halloween candy. This meant Vernon would have a nice quiet morning to rest, reflect, and read the newspaper. What an amazing day.

Putting on his coat and slippers, he went to get his newspaper. But when he opened the door, he had the shock of his life. He saw something that would change his life forever. There, on the front porch, was basket containing a baby. With the baby, was a note addressed to Petunia. He gently picked up the basket holding the baby and brought it inside the house. The newspaper was completely forgotten.

"Petunia, come quickly!" He shouted once he was back inside. "Someone left a baby on our front porch! Out in the freezing cold, no less!"

Hearing the panic in his voice, Petunia came running down the stairs. "Vernon, keep your voice down, you'll wake Dudley." Then she heard the soft cry of a baby waking up. A baby that did not sound like Dudley.

"He was on the front porch. Some **fool** just left him there. Out in the cold, surrounded by wild animals!" Vernon was clearly upset. "We have to call the police,"

Petunia looked at the yawning baby. He looked somewhat familiar. Then he opened his eyes and stared straight at her. He had his mother's eyes. Her sister's eyes. She knew who this was immediately. "Vernon, put down the phone. Please." She then picked up the letter.

Vernon watch her read the note. The stunned look on her face quickly turned to tears of anguish. "She's gone, Vernon. Lily's gone."

Vernon took his crying wife into his arms. He had never seen her like this before. She cried on his shoulder until there were no more tears. At this point, Harry started moving about. "Mama?" He said looking around.

"Come here, little one." Petunia said as she lifted him out of the basket. Taking him to the rocking chair she calmed him.

"She was murdered, Vernon! In her own house! My sister is gone." Collecting herself, she added "Someone will be coming over this afternoon at 1pm. To discuss the arrangements."

Her thoughts were in turmoil. She remembered the terrible things she had said to Lily at their parent's funeral. The blame she placed. 'I never got to say goodbye. I never mended the rift between us.' Looking down at Harry, she saw another way to fix things. She would raise Lily's child as if it was her own. He would be Dudley's little brother.

Later that day, Dumbledore came by. He was wearing sombre grey robes and looked every bit the odd-ball wizard. Robes, pointy hat, long beard... Petunia absolutely did not want him seen by the neighbours, so she hurried him in.

They proceeded to the family room, where Harry and Dudley were playing with blocks. Dumbledore saw that the two boys seemed to get along. He noted that Harry had some kind of small adhesive bandage over the scar on his forehead. 'Muggles create the most amazing little things'. Looking into the kitchen, he noted two high chairs and a large number of toys all over the floor. Despite Minerva's reservations, they seemed to be treating Harry well.

They had just sat down when Vernon turned on his work face and let the old man have it with both barrels. "Why in hell's name would you leave a baby outside on a cold night, surrounded by wild animals? He could have frozen to death! What were you and your kind thinking?" With the children in the room, he did not raise his voice, but the intent was apparent. Vernon might be big, and somewhat intimidating, but he was a softie around children.

Purple faced, he kept going, "Then you leave a note, telling my wife that her sister has been murdered? A **note**? Do 'your kind' know how to knock on a door? Or is that too much trouble?" Looking ready to explode he quietly added, "If not for the baby, I'd throw you out of here and be done with you."

Albus Dumbledore did not like being threatened. But, given the circumstances, he just had to take it. They did not know about the hunt for the traitor, Sirius Black. Nor did they understand the sudden turmoil Tom's death caused. Or any of the chaos that has been churning through the night. They did not know that the child was left under a warming charm, the fact that the basket was invisible, except by people standing on the porch. They did not know about the four Aurors watching over the house.

Harry was very safe, and so were they. The letter may have been bad form, in hindsight. A terrible way to tell someone their sister was gone. "I am terribly sorry, Mr. Dursley. I accept full responsibility for the terrible mistakes made last night. If we could please take a moment, to focus on Harry and his future, I would be ever so grateful."

"Very well" Petunia chimed in, "Let's talk about Harry. We will raise him and care for him, but we want nothing to do with your murderous world. He will be raised as Dudley's adopted little brother and brought up in a _respectable_ manner. Away from you people."

Albus could not believe his luck! This was what he wanted as well. He just needed access to the Potter vaults... "Very well, Mrs. Dursley. I have a few documents that need to be signed, then I will be on my way."

"Wait a moment, what documents?" Vernon always grew cautious around contracts.

"This document identifies your wife as his closest family and grants permanent custody. Because you are not magical..." Albus then shuffled to a different form, "Ah, yes. This document assigns me as his magical guardian. Essentially, I will be responsible for him when he is in the magical districts of Great Britain".

"He will not **be** in your magical world!" Vernon nearly shouted. The toddlers looked up briefly, then went back to their toys.

"Harry will enter our world at 11 years of age. His parents have already planned for that. At that time, he will attend my school and be in my care. Until he returns for summer and Christmas holidays, of course." Dumbledore did his best grandfather imitation, complete with twinkling eyes.

Petunia would have none of it. "Lily was in your care. I still remember the tears she shed telling me about your _horrible_ school. What was her little pet name? 'Mudblood', I think it was." At this, an uncomfortable silence entered the room. Dumbledore flinched at that name. He wished he had done more to curtail its use.

The Dursley's and Dumbledore went back and forth for over an hour. The Dursley's refused to allow the Potter house elf to live there. The Dursley's would get support money to help raise Harry. Dumbledore and all of the people like him (Wizards and Witches) would stay away. Dumbledore would raise protections to keep all magical beings away. And finally, Harry could elect to skip Hogwarts and attend 'normal' school with Dudley if he so chose.

Albus agreed. He subtly cast a few spells on the family to ensure Harry's safety and left the house. He would be back later tonight to raise the protections, per their agreement.

Vernon looked at his wife and beamed with the success of this negotiation. He would have taken in Harry for free, but the old man threw in a nice amount of money. The freaky world of magic would stay away for almost ten years. In that time, Harry would learn that magic should be avoided.

Petunia and he were already becoming attached to the child. A bit small, but very sweet and lovable. Seemed to be extremely bright as well. Complications with Dudley made it impossible to have more children and Vernon really loved kids... he really wanted Dudley to have a little brother. Now he would.

They would do everything together. Dudley and Harry, kind of fits. And they seemed to really like each other. In 10 years, they would go to Smelting's together. The day had a rough start, but it ended ok for Harry. Except, of course, for his mother. Petunia's sister. That was awful. Vernon never liked James, but Lily was OK. He'd make sure to be there for Petunia. And for Harry.

- **DoD** -

**Hogwarts, Headmasters Office**

**Same day**

Albus Dumbledore was exhausted. He had been up for 48 hours and he still was not done. In the morning he would grieve. He would count the many mistakes he had made and the people he had inadvertently let down. But that would have to wait. He took a pepper up potion and began putting his calculations to parchment. He could siphon off some of the protection Lily gave Harry to power a very strong blood ward. Practically guaranteeing Harry's safety.

The Horcrux complicated matters. He had examined Harry and found a soul shard belonging to Tom, embedded in his scar. That scar was no normal scar. Albus recognised it as an ancient glyph. The glyph was at the centre of a charm, designed to provide protection from a mother's sacrifice. Self-Sacrificial magic, Albus knew, is the only magic strong enough to contain something so foul as a Horcrux.

Contained or not, the horcrux would 'leak' out and affect the family he lived with. Erecting the wards would make it worse. But what option did he have? A magical family would have been able to detect or resist his compulsion charms, resulting in Harry being put at risk. Eventually the Horcrux would be discovered by a magical family resulting in the Department of Mysteries being called in. That would result in an unspeakable being summoned to put the boy down. As in dead.

A muggle family, like the Dursley's, could be charmed to continue caring for Harry. He could see to that. He had already begun laying down basic compulsions. Food, clothing, shelter... the basics. Love and kindness would be tricky if not impossible. Some things cannot be forced. He would fix any emotional issues when Harry came to Hogwarts. He hoped he could, anyway.

'The Dursley's would have ten years of constant corrupting influence from that cursed soul shard, but they would live. Harry would live. It just wouldn't be a very good way to live. 'In ten years or so, Harry could re-join the magical world, and perhaps', Albus though, 'I will have found a way to remove the cursed thing by then.'

Albus always believed it was better to follow the RIGHT path than the EASY path. The easy path would have been to kill the poor boy, or even just hand him over to the Unspeakables. Unfortunately, Albus just couldn't bring himself to do it. There was no guarantee that Tom did not have other Horcruxes hidden away. While the idea of anyone creating a Horcrux was horrible, Albus suspected Tom might have gone even further. It would explain the mental instability. Then there was the prophecy. Harry was destined to fight him. Or had that already happened? Too many unknowns.

The war that he had just been through made him re-consider that 'don't take the easy path' strategy. Tom always expected Albus to take the **right** path. He counted on it. He used it to his advantage. He laughed about it. People died because of Albus taking the **right** path. It made Tom's path **easier**. And Tom _never_ took the right path.

Considering this, Albus said a quiet prayer to any power that would listen, "Please don't let that boy go dark. Please, please let me do the right thing and, for once, not regret it. James and Lily, if you are watching, please forgive me for the mistakes I made. I never wanted you to die. I will try to save him, I swear I will."

The Peverell family had _forgotten_ more about soul magic and Nethermantic magic than any family alive today. If there was a cure to the Horcrux, he would find it. The Peverell vaults were either un-openable or they were never actually at Gringotts.

The Gaunt family vault had been raided by Tom. Of that, Albus was certain. The Grindelwald family claimed to descend from Antioch Peverell. As did the Blacks. No way to get to those vaults. That left the Potter vault as the last remaining source for knowledge from the Peverell family. With the magical guardianship for Harry intact, he could comb through the Potter vaults. Perhaps he would find a way to save young Harry.

But first, he had to diagram the Dursley wards. It was going to be a long night.

- **DoD** -

**4 Privet Drive Little Whinging, Surrey**

**Dursley Residence**

**Later that night**

Dumbledore finished raising the wards. He had collected blood from Harry and the new wards were nigh impenetrable. He just had to hope his calculations were correct and Lily's protection would still protect Harry.

The protections on the home would prevent the adult Dursleys from any direct aggression. Vernon worried him as he seemed intimidating. Petunia did not seem the violent type and Dudley was just a baby himself. A few compulsion charms and Harry would be safe, fed, and sheltered. Hopefully Petunia's love would allow her to see past the Horcrux's influence.

Harry was deep asleep, dreaming about his house. Mummy was playing with him and talking to him. He felt safe and happy.

"Harry, sweetie." His mum said, " I need you to do something for me. Never ever go into your old room. It is not safe there. We can stay in any room but that one."

"Why, Mummy?" He asked. He liked his room. It had toys and a crib and fun picture books to look at. He saw it during a nap; it had a metal door on it. The door was strong looking. He could hear something on the other side. Something that scared him. Something trying to get out. To get to him. He ran away.

His mummy thought about it a bit then said, "That's where the bad thing is. With the green light. We stay away from that!" Then, with a silly smile, she added, "Course, that means I get you all to myself!" And she started tickling him.

Suddenly, she stopped. Something was wrong. "Stay here Harry!" She ran upstairs and stayed there a while. Harry got scared and went to find her. She was holding the door. The scary one. She held it shut while something was banging on it. "Stay back, Harry! Run down stairs and wait for me!"

Harry ran as fast as his little legs could take him.

Lily's incarnation felt her power draining away. Like an outside force was siphoning off it. When it stabilised, she had to reinforce the door holding back the Horcrux. By shifting most of the protection to the inside 'containment door', Harry would be safe from its influence. Unfortunately, the outer containment would not be enough to fully stop the foul thing. To keep Harry safe on the inside, she had to build a 'pressure valve' on the outside. That meant the Horcrux could now affect the world surrounding Harry.

She had to prepare Harry. This would get bad. How do you prepare a 15-month-old for what it is like to be hated and despised in his own home?

**-** **DoD** **-**

**The next morning**

Vernon woke up to the shrill sound of his alarm. He had the worst night's sleep imaginable. A constant stream of nightmares about losing his job. Was he up to the new position? Would his co-workers respect him? Yesterday he had felt so good. He woke up happy and refreshed. Then, the boy showed up! Why had he agreed to keep him? Those documents he signed... he would be paid, but he was stuck. One small thing, and his perfect little world was ruined!

Petunia was down stairs making breakfast while Vernon showered. She kept dreaming about her 'perfect' sister, Lily. How everyone loved Lily. In contrast, no-one cared about Petunia. Now she was stuck with **_her_** brat. Would sweet little Dudley now be the forgotten sibling? Unloved and forgotten?

Not on her watch! No way, no how. Dudley would always know he came first and Lily's child, Harry, would always know this was not his family. He was just a Freak. She would make sure they both knew that Dudley ruled THIS roost! Why had she taken that boy in? Why did she put him in the same room with Dudley? Why had she encouraged Dudley to share his toys? She may not be able to cast him off, but she could correct the other mistakes she made. Things would change if he was staying...

Dudley woke up and looked over at his new roommate. He had Dudley's old teddy bear! The one Dudley never used. That was HIS bear! That new boy needed to go away. Why is he still here? He is wearing Dudley's old clothes too... He wants all Dudley's stuff! Dudley then started to cry.

To be continued.

**And now we shift more to Canon.**


	4. Pre Hogwarts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter
> 
> FASA owns Earthdawn
> 
> Harry had settled into the Dursley's. The wards Dumbledore used to extend the protection his mother gave him are draining the blockage on the Horcrux, resulting in a change at the Dursley house. At first his Aunt and Uncle were happy to have him, but the Horcrux begins affecting his new family.
> 
> This chapter will address the Pre-Hogwarts years. Future chapters will take place one year at a time. The focus will be on how this story differs from Canon, so there will be time jumps up until 4th year where things get crazy.
> 
> This story is the prequel to Casting Shadows and it sets the tone for the AU this is set in.
> 
> Special thanks to this story's Beta Reader, 'Just William' for your help and excellent feedback.

**Christmas, 1982**

**4 Privet Drive Little Whinging, Surrey**

**Dursley House**

**Harry is 2 and a half years old**

Harry has been amazed at how beautiful everything is at Christmas time. He really misses his old house and his parents, but he has trouble remembering them. Still, he is happy today. Today is Christmas, and his mean aunt and uncle were not going to make him mad. He had a wonderful dream about his mum. She took him sledging and they made popcorn and just snuggled by the fire. The evil thing in his room upstairs never even tried to get out. Sometimes, he wished he could just stay asleep forever.

Crawling out of his cupboard, he saw the family room and just grinned from ear to ear. The tree was beautiful, Father Christmas must have really thought they had been good; there were so many presents! Harry had made himself a stocking from one of Dudley's old socks – it was FULL! Harry just stood there staring. Dudley then came running past him, knocking him down. It's OK, he was used to Dudley doing that.

"Freak!" Dudley yelled, then staring straight at Harry and pointing at the presents, "Mine!"

Uncle Vernon came down with Aunt Petunia. They seemed to be very happy. Uncle Vernon spoke up, "Yes, yes, Dudley. Loads of Presents! Let's get the camera ready and dig in." Dudley was so excited he was practically running in circles.

Harry started going through the presents. They all had a big D on them for Dudley. He finally found three presents with a big H on them. Looking up at his aunt and uncle he just said "Mine?" His eyes just lit up with happiness.

Uncle Vernon got the camera ready and instructed the boys, "Alright, let's take a look at what Father Christmas brought you two." He seemed unusually mirthful. Harry knew by now that whenever Uncle Vernon was this happy, something was bad. "Dudley, look at all those gifts. Harry, well, I guess he knows this isn't your home. Dudley, open yours first."

Harry watched Dudley tear into his presents as fast as his chubby two and a half year old hands would let him. There were so many presents. Harry couldn't help but be a little jealous. But he had three presents. Three glorious presents from Father Christmas. As Dudley opened his last present, Harry looked at his Aunt and said, "Me, now?"

The first present was a box of night time pull-ups. They were already opened and he recognised them as the pull-up pants Dudley had outgrown. Harry just looked up at his Aunt confused. She smiled at him and just said, "Merry Christmas, Harry. Diapers!" Uncle Vernon took a picture of the look on his face.

The next present was a bunch of Dudley's old clothes. Most were stained from all the food Dudley drops on the front. Why would Father Christmas give him Dudley's old clothes? And Harry only wore pullups at night. The last present was a pair of Dudley's old shoes. Harry almost started to cry when he remembered his stocking. Dudley's was huge and colourful and full of candy. Harry took his and reached in to find… a lump of coal.

He looked up at his aunt and uncle. His aunt seemed a bit confused, almost like she felt bad, then she shook her head and smiled. Uncle Vernon took a picture right as his first tear started to fall. "Well Harry, it looks like Father Christmas doesn't like freaks." Harry was so sad, he just went back into his cupboard and cried. He came out for meals and to use the bathroom. Dudley kept pointing and laughing at him. The day started so nice, but it didn't last.

His Aunt opened his cupboard and told him to get dressed. "Harry, we're going out to look at the Christmas lights. You'll be staying with Mrs. Figg." Harry wanted to see the lights too, but he really wanted to get away from his family. They were bad. Mean.

As he left the house, he felt his scar tighten up a little. His aunt looked at him a little differently and handed him a piece of candy. "Here you go Harry," she said quietly. She walked him to Mrs. Figg's house. Harry went in to play with the cats and Mrs. Figg wished him a Merry Christmas. There was nothing happy about it. All he could say was "I hate Christmas!" Mrs. Figg seemed surprised and his aunt just looked sadly at him. After they left, Mrs. Figg served him brownies and hot chocolate. She read him a story, then gave him a present. Harry just stared at it. Not wanting to be disappointed, he just shook his head and very quietly said "No, thank you."

The fireplace then flared up and into the room walked Father Christmas! His clothes were purple with little wreaths on it. Long white beard. kindly eyes. Pointy hat. Harry just stared at the man.

Dumbledore took in the scene. Mrs Figg seemed to be on the verge of tears and Harry looked like the saddest boy in the world. "Hello, Harry. I hope you're having a nice Christmas."

Harry finally said, "Father Christmas, you gave coal!" He then started to cry. As realisation dawned on Dumbledore, he just smiled and said, "The coal was not for you Harry. An unfortunate mistake. Here, these presents are for you. With a wave of the stick in his hand, presents appeared."

"Now, let's start with Mrs. Figg's present."

"Go on Harry," Mrs Figg insisted. "It's for you…" Harry tentatively opened it up – it was a stuffed animal. A cat. She also gave him a set of crayons and a colouring book. He was so happy, he just hugged Mrs. Figg. "Thank You!"

Dumbledore was almost moved to tears at the appreciation of the little boy for something so minor. He knew things would be bad, but they must be even worse than expected. He may have to add a few more compulsion charms.

Harry had a few more presents. Father Christmas told him to keep most of the toys at Mrs. Figg's, but the stuffed cat he could take with him. He waved his stick over the toy and Harry could hear it purr. Maybe Christmas was not so bad after all.

Dumbledore waved his wand over Harry while he was colouring and evaluated the Horcrux. It had grown slightly. Away from the house, it was leaking out less, but it was still leaking. He would have to limit Mrs. Figg's exposure. The leak was now so slight it was almost imperceptible, but once inside the wards, it would grow. Still, Harry had to go back. Too many Death Eaters had avoided prosecution. No magical family could withstand the Horcrux without realising the boy was cursed.

Perhaps a few small charms would make the gifts last longer. The crayons could be charmed to stay sharp. The stuffed cat would purr when it was alone with Harry. It would stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. He would get comfort from it. The colouring book could expand as pictures are coloured in… any more than that, and the Dursleys would notice.

Petunia Dursley picked Harry up at 8:30. She saw the toys and decided not to tell Vernon or Dudley. She'd let the little boy have a few nice things. Why did today make her feel so rotten? She was fine all day, then, during the drive, she started to think about her sister. And how they had pranked Harry with joke gifts and coal. As she came back in her house with Harry, she shook these thoughts off, placed Harry's things at the back of his cup board, and changed Harry into his pyjamas.

As Harry settled in to sleep, He dreamed he was back home again. His old home. His Mummy was there. They celebrated Christmas together.

"Harry, I love the crayons you have. Say, would you like to learn to draw fun shapes?" Lily's incarnation had picked up on all the events that triggered an emotional reaction. She knew how bad the day had been, but it ended on a good note. "We can call them runes! I know a lot of them."

Harry picked up a dream crayon and started drawing the funny shapes like him mum taught him. He alternated hands regularly as one would get tired. He liked using both hands to do things. Dudley only used his one hand and Harry wanted to be as **unlike** Dudley as he could be.

His mum looked down at his pictures and smiled. "Very good Harry. Tomorrow we'll learn more. Maybe we can even play a fun game… Let's call it 'learning languages'. You'll like French. There is a school in France I'd love for you to go to."

Harry smiled and hugged his mummy – "Happy Christmas Mummy!" His sleeping body was curled up around his cat while it purred softly.

"I Love you Harry. You are so good. Never let anyone say you're not." She hugged him tightly.

- **DoD** -

**Summer, 1982**

**4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey**

**Harry is 3 years Old**

Harry was now responsible for clearing the table after every meal. He noticed that Dudley never cleared the table or did much of anything else. Harry was told that he was 3 years old now and had to help out more. He didn't remember turning three. It seemed odd that Dudley had a Birthday and Harry didn't. Wasn't he born once too?

After he finished, he went in the family room to sit with everyone else. There was show on that Uncle Vernon liked. A pretty lady would spin a wheel and people would get excited. It was called "Wheel of Fortune".

Uncle Vernon looked at him for a moment, then said, "What are you doing in here? This is the "Family Room". You're not family. Not really."

Aunt Petunia laughed a bit, then said "Go and get ready for bed Harry. I want you to be in your cupboard in 15 minutes." She had the **_mean_** face, so Harry knew he had to do it.

Before he left, he looked back at Dudley. It wasn't fair. Dudley could stay and play with toys. Harry only had his stuffed cat and broken crayons. Crayons broken by Dudley. At least sleep promised fun dreams. He couldn't really remember the details, but he always woke up happy.

He got ready for bed and went right to sleep.

"Harry?" His mum asked to get his attention, "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"Uncle Vernon won't let me watch TV. He says I can't be in the Family room cause I'm not family. I thought Uncles **were** family."

"He's just mean, Harry. But you're better than that. What did you want to watch on TV?"

"They were watching a show called 'wheel of fortune'. A pretty lady spins a wheel and asks questions. And everybody gets excited and has fun." Harry just looked at his feet, angry.

Lily's Incarnation considered this and said, "How about we play a new game. It will be called Wheel of Runes." First, I'll spin a wheel and it'll determine if we look at Nordic, Egyptian, Mayan, or Minoan Runes and Hieroglyphs. Then, you can spin a wheel and it will land on a rune or hieroglyph for you to identify. If you win, there will be bright lights and balloons. Want to try? We can even speak in French for extra balloons."

"Yes! Let's do that mummy!"

And Harry dreamed of wheels, his mum, runes, hieroglyphs and speaking in French. If only he could just sleep the whole day away. And never wake up.

**-DoD-**

**September, 1985**

**Year one of Primary School (Kindergarten)**

**Harry is 5 Years Old**

Harry and Dudley were picked up by Aunt Petunia. Petunia was disappointed that Harry and Dudley were in the same class. Surely Harry would hold Dudley back. Dudley had been taught so much already, while Harry just stayed in his cupboard. Always sleeping.

Going to see the teacher, Petunia saw both boys sitting and drawing. Harry was making those funny shapes he liked so much. Dudley was drawing a house. How could one child be so gifted and the other happy drawing odd shapes.

Catching the young teacher's eye, Petunia held out her hand, "Hello, my name is Petunia Dursley, I hope everything went well today?"

The young teacher looked at her and responded with a very enthusiastic, "Yes, quite well! My name is Mary Smithfield. I was so impressed with your child. He's one of the smartest children I have ever seen. So focused!"

Petunia beamed with pride. "Yes, we have been reading to our little Dudders every night. He is **so** gifted." Looking at the teacher, she noticed a slight hesitancy…

"OH, I'm sorry, Mrs. Dursley. I forgot Harry is your nephew. Yes, Dudley is a very outgoing child." Pausing, she added, "I was actually talking about Harry. Did you know he can already count to a thousand? Maybe even higher. He even demonstrated skills in mathematics. He can also read well beyond any of the books we have in class. I'll have to bring in at least 4th or 5th year material for him. Have you been giving him private tutoring?"

At this, Petunia became visibly shaken, "Harry? No, he's a juvenile delinquent. You must be mistaken. He has never shown any signs of READING. Honestly, we thought about holding him back a year due to immaturity."

"I see. Well, they are both wonderful children." Miss Smithfield forced a smile and watched them pack up to leave. As Harry came by, he gave her a hug. "Good bye Miss Mary! See you tomorrow."

Harry felt a burn on his scar. He hated when this happened, it made people hate him. He really liked Miss Mary. He saw his teacher's eyes lose focus for a moment, then pull away. She had the same funny look his aunt sometimes gets.

"Her response was cold and flat, "Good bye, Harry. We'll see you tomorrow."

The whole drive home, his aunt seemed angry about something. When Vernon came home from work, the two of them went up to their room. When they came down, Vernon was enraged.

"So, you think you are better than Dudley?! How did you learn to read? Who taught you math? SPEAK UP BOY!" He drew his hand back to strike Harry, then suddenly got a funny look on his face. Without saying anything, he went into the kitchen and started eating. He always did that when he got really mad. it happened a lot.

Dinner was a rough affair. Everyone was mad at him for being smart! Harry had to help cook, but he wasn't allowed to eat at the table.

His Uncle had such an angry face, it actually turned purple. "Listen up, BOY, you are not half as smart as Dudley. From now on, you'll eat in the kitchen. The dining room is only for family."

After dinner, Vernon sent Dudley into Harry's cupboard to find any books Harry had stashed. Harry did have a small collection of books, most from the free shelf of 'Blackwell's', a nearby new and used book shop. He had a few of Dudley's old books, but he was way beyond them now.

"Look, Dad – He has books! Some of these are MINE" Dudley seemed angry for some reason.

Harry was stunned! Dudley was in his cupboard! "Give those back, Dudley. Those books are mine! You threw those books away! The others were from Blackwell's free shelf!"

Uncle Vernon collected the books and made a show of putting them in the fireplace and burning them. Dudley laughed and pushed Harry down.

After the book burning, Uncle Vernon put locks on Harry's cupboard. "Listen up, Freak. You will **not** be sneaking out and reading Dudley's or anyone else's books."

"But what if I have to go to the bathroom?" Harry asked with an edge of terror.

"Petunia, get Harry a jar. If he needs to go, he can use the jar." Vernon had a look of delight on his face while he said that.

Dudley then punched Harry right in the middle of the back, knocking him down. "You freak! You don't look so smart now." They all laughed at him. Harry broke down and cried.

For a brief moment, he thought he saw 'something' flash across his aunt's face. Sorrow, confusion, something? Then his scar burned and she just started laughing with the others. That's OK, tonight he would dream. Tonight he would be loved.

**-DoD-**

**April 1987**

**Year 2 Primary School. (First Grade)**

**Harry is Six years old**

Harry had learned to keep his head down and not be noticed. He would intentionally turn in pathetic work, but on the side, he would complete his assignments in different languages. He usually chose to write in one of his 'made up' languages. He wrote them with his left hand as frequently as his right hand purely out of boredom. The teachers just thought it was scribbles and doodles in his notebook. He didn't remember learning these languages, he just knew he dreamed about them sometimes. He also dreamed of his old house and his mum.

He would occasionally get detention for all the scribbling and doodles he made, but he didn't mind. He would just sneak a book and read. He could always tell when a detention was coming, his scar would flare up right as the teacher looked over at him. Teachers liked him at first, but over time they grew to avoid or discriminate against him. He was used to it. Occasionally, something strange would happen. One time Miss Williamson's hair turned blue. Another time, Mr. Franklin's beard fell off.

Harry was out walking on the playground, when he heard Dudley cry out, "HARRY HUNTING!"

That was Harry's cue to run. He ran as fast as he could and went to dodge behind the shed on the corner of the property. He had an escape route planned that Dudley could never squeeze through. Then, he saw a recycling skip had been placed in the spot he expected to squeeze through between the shed and the fence. He did not have time to climb the fence, so he knew what was coming. He hated it when Piers and Dudley would beat him up. He closed his eyes and waited for Dudley to find him. There was a loud pop.

Nothing happened. He opened his eyes and saw that he was now on the roof of the school. Looking down, he couldn't believe it. He saw his teacher as soon as his teacher saw him. The eye contact was accompanied by shock and fear. This was _not_ going to be good.

The fire department was called and, soon enough, Harry was brought down. He was questioned repeatedly on how he got up there, but all he could say was "I don't know". His Aunt came to pick him up – he was now suspended. Harry didn't mind. He was so bored, he hated school. To ensure he did not do better than Dudley, he was now in remedial classes that he hated.

His punishment was to work long hours in the garden. He had to weed and maintain Petunia's roses for the rest of the year. Oddly enough, he enjoyed it. Harry was smart enough not to admit that he liked it, but it was relaxing. He felt a real connection to the plants he was tending. To the soil and the life within it. Not being in school, plus working in the garden, was like getting rewarded.

That night, he dreamed about his mum. She was teaching how to form something called a spell matrix. Apparently, he could control some of the odd things that tend to happen around him, if he makes a few of these 'spell matrixes'. They also discussed Elemental magic. She explained that he had an affinity for Elemental magic through her and began discussing how he could manipulate it. The spell matrixes would help.

They toured the garden around the dreamscape house. There were many types of roses there. Her favorite was a very dark red rose with some of the sharpest looking thorns Harry had ever seen. She called it a "Blood Rose". There was a massive oak tree she called 'Father Oak'. Going inside the house, she warned him that he needed to stay away from the top two bedrooms. The evil thing that had been in his room, it had gotten in there as well. Harry went up and noted that both doors were now blocked off. The carpet in the hallway outside the door was beginning to look withered and rotten. A horrible smell was coming from the rooms. They quickly went back down the stairs.

Seeing him become concerned, his mum said, "Just be careful Harry. Here, let me show you something." She took him down to the bottom of the staircase. "Watch me, Harry" She then proceeded to prick her finger with a pin and touch the round knob on top of the left landing newel post. Twisting the knob, the stairs slowly lowered and inverted, leading to a hidden basement and making the upstairs inaccessible. Up became down.

They walked down the steps and into a short hallway. At the end of the hallway, there was a very solid looking stone wall. Placing her hand on the wall, it slowly started to open up. The room on the other side was rather large. Probably twenty by thirty feet. There were books on three of the four walls. Strange objects on shelves. Weapons mounted on the entrance wall to either side of the stone door. A two sided desk was in the middle with writing instruments.

"This is my vault, Harry. Your father and I stored lots of things in here. I have been putting your dream books in here each night. This is where we will train and learn each night. Here, and in the garden, with the plants." Looking at the little boy beside her with the same eyes she had, she smiled and added, "One day, you will go down here in the waking world and recall completely all that we have covered. For now, we will build up subconscious knowledge and languages. And Runes. Runes are **_fun_**." She knew how much Harry liked runes and hieroglyphs.

Looking off in the distance, Lily's incarnation continued, "We couldn't easily get to Gringotts, so we created a vault here. We brought the most useful grimoires and artefacts here. The wards to this vault are beyond lethal and they're keyed to our blood. And Pipsey of course." Suddenly thinking, she asked, "Harry, do you know Pipsey?"

Harry just shook his head. He vaguely remembered the name, but could not recall where he had heard it.

"When no one is around, and you need help, or just someone to look after you, say "Pipsey!' with authority. She will hear you. She will come. But no-one can be around. If she is seen, the consequences will be dire." Then, smiling and tickling Harry, she said, "We'll talk about her **every** night, eventually it will bubble up when you're awake."

"I've shown you much over the years, and some of it is beginning to surface," Suddenly becoming serious, she adds, "But Harry, no one can know. Especially not Dumbledore. Treat him with caution. He is not to be trusted."

"Now, let's talk about the element of wood…"

**-DoD-**

**August, 1988**

**Summer Holiday, Between year 3 and 4 of primary school**

**(Second and Third grade)**

**Harry Just turned Eight years old**

Harry woke up, left his cupboard and made himself breakfast. His Aunt and Uncle took Dudley on holiday yesterday, leaving Harry for three weeks. Three wonderful weeks. Yes, his chore list was extensive, but he would get it done. By complaining and acting like he hated gardening, he was able to get more of those chores assigned. It didn't hurt that Aunt Petunia's garden was winning first place in the neighbourhood garden club competition. That stuff really mattered to his guardians.

Harry was using this time to figure things out. He had trouble remembering his dreams, but he knew they were important. Other than knowing that he dreams about his mother, it all gets fuzzy shortly after waking up. He almost always woke up happy, but had trouble remembering why.

The 'made up' languages he dreamed about were more than what any person, let alone a kid, could just 'come up with'. And how did he understand advanced maths and French? What was the Beauxbaton school and why did he want to somehow go there? Who is this 'Pipsey' that he keeps thinking about? How was he able to do 'things' in the garden? Make plants grow, improve soil, and other things…

The pictures he has been doodling for as long as he could remember might actually be real! He saw a few books on **runes** in the local library and recognised some of them. He knew every fact in that book and then some. But he never had studied them in his life. Was he as much a _Freak_ as his Aunt and Uncle keep saying? If so, he was ok with that. He just wished he knew the answers.

Harry heard the doorbell ring right as he finished cleaning up. He knew it was Mrs. Figg checking up on him. She was going to do it every day. He used to love going over to Mrs. Figg's house and playing with her cats, but lately, he cut back on his visits. His scar was hurting more and it seemed to be affecting her. She didn't so much get _mean_ , just horribly sad. Harry would feel the sharp pain, then see her eyes glaze over. After that, she just would start to cry. Talking about Squids and bad people that ate death or dead things… He felt sorry for her, so it was best to just stay away so she could be happy.

She bred cats that he liked. Really BIG cats. Smart too. She had a new litter of kittens and he really wanted the little grey one. If he had to cut back on his visits, at least he could love up on the kitten. Mrs. Figg was asking his Aunt if they wanted one… Harry HOPED it would work out.

Opening the door, he invited her in. "Hello Mrs. Figg, would you like to come in? I can make you tea. I just finished a batch of scones…"

"Thank you Harry. I really can't stay, I just wanted to make sure you were all right." Considering Harry's offer, she asked, "Harry, you are too young to be cooking scones. The kitchen is a dangerous place for someone so young."

"It's all right, I cook all the time. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner." Seeing the look on the old lady's face, he hastily added, "My Aunt and Uncle say I have to earn my keep." That should do it. Makes perfect sense.

She just looked at him. "I have failed you. You poor dear boy." And the tears slowly began. Within the house, Harry knew the scar was always flaring, not as much a sharp pain as a steady ache.

"It's OK, Mrs. Figg. It's like potions. Know the recipe, how the ingredients interact, and follow the instructions. When you get good at it, you can modify the ingredients. All about focus really. And not getting distracted…" What the heck? Where had he heard that? One of those dreams?

Mrs. Figg seemed to be staring at him in a funny way. "Well, yes. I suppose it is. Thank you, Harry. By the way, I spoke with your Aunt and she is allergic to cats, so I can't give you one of the new kittens. I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry tried to hide his disappointment, he really loved the kittens. "That's OK Mrs. Figg, I kind of expected that."

She came in and checked on the grocery needs, the paper products, and the overall condition of the house. The Dursleys were paying her to check in regularly. She loved Harry and enjoyed looking in on him.

After she was done, Harry thanked her and saw her out. He was looking forward to a long day working in the garden, but first he wanted to go to the library. It was a bit of a walk, but Harry knew it was worth it. He really wanted to test his knowledge of Runes… and to see if any of his made up languages were real.

He left the house and locked up. Half way to the library, he had that funny sensation he gets before something bad happens. Turning, he saw Piers and a few of Dudley's goon-like friends. Making eye contact, Piers just smiled… His rotten, crooked, disgusting teeth promised pain and misery. "HARRY HUNTING!"

Shite! Harry broke into a full on run. There was no way any of Dudley's lazy friends would catch him. Then he saw some of the goons were standing behind him, time to cut right. He sprinted around the back of a building and was nearly in the clear when something hard hit him in the middle of the back, sending him down a set of concrete steps at full speed. Everything went black.

"Damn, Piers! That was a good throw! I will never underestimate how far Piers can throw a brick." One of the goons proclaimed.

Piers looked down at the smaller boy, lying at the bottom of the steps. There was a growing puddle of blood around his head. "Yeah. Didn't actually expect to hit him… He looks hurt. Let's get out of here."

"Harry! You are really hurt." Harry saw red hair and green eyes.

"Mum?"

"Wake up Harry, and say 'Pipsey'! WAKE UP!"

Slowly opening his eyes, Harry felt nauseated. He knew he was hurt. What did his mum say? "Pipsey!" he then shut his eyes and went to sleep. His mum was waiting. She held him tight. Dimly, far away, he heard a 'Pop'.

When he next awoke, he was lying on the couch. His scrapes and bruises were gone… but his head still felt funny. Mrs. Figg was there too. "What?"

"You had a little fall Harry, but you'll be OK now. I'll check on you a few times a day and take care of you. Are you up to chicken soup, Harry? I made it myself."

"Thanks, Mrs. Figg, that'd be nice." Sitting up, Harry felt a little dizzy. "I can't believe Piers was able to get the drop on me. I must have let my guard down with Dudley being away."

"I have some medicine for you to take, Harry. Three times a day for the next two days and you'll be right as rain." Mrs. Figg really is a sweet lady.

After he ate, she left with him promising to lie down and keep calm. He couldn't remember anything after getting knocked down the stairs. Looking around, he was amazed at how nice the house looked. Everything looked sparkly clean. His chore list had to be mostly done. Looking at the newspaper that had been delivered, it was Wednesday. What the heck? It was Monday when he went to the library. Where had the two days gone?

— **DoD** —

Albus Dumbledore was disillusioned in the room with Harry. It was a bad head injury he had sustained. Who was this _Piers_ boy? He would have to get more people to watch him, this was almost fatal. He had been treated by Madame Pomfrey, but it was almost too late. Once he was stable, he was returned to Privet Drive.

Albus found the chore list the Dursleys had made up for Harry while they were away. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. Bad enough that they just left him alone for three weeks, but a chore list? And an _enormous_ one at that.

How could they expect an eight year old boy to do all this work and have any time left for fun? What did Harry's cousin do all day? Albus gave Pipsey permission to complete the chores for him and to secretly help out until Harry went to Hogwarts. House elves knew how to avoid being seen or heard. She had already bonded with Harry, but she would have to avoid approaching him until he graduated. Rules are rules and Harry was muggle raised.

As glad as he was that Harry called Pipsey, Albus wondered how he knew to call her. House elves don't lie well, so he believed Pipsey when she said she had not seen him since Halloween 1981. Could it just be luck? She would be his invisible eyes and ears. To go on holiday and leave an eight year old alone… Shameful.

The next three years flew by. School was boring for Harry, but he learned in his sleep. Whenever the weather permitted, he worked in the garden. His dreams were becoming fuzzier and harder to remember each year. He also somehow knew his scar was getting stronger. In what little he could remember, he spent all his dream time in some basement called a 'vault' because his entire house had been taken over by something evil. Something that was locked in his scar.

That night, Lily's incarnation took Harry by the hand and smiled. "Harry, I want to teach you a new trick. It is called 'Occlumency'." Sitting him on the floor, she had him lean back and relax. "Here, sit and focus. Clear your mind and begin construction on your own library. Here in the vault. After every dream session, we'll store the memories in a book and save it for reference. Let's also build walls and traps around your library…"

**-DoD-**

**July 23, 1991**

**4 Privet Drive, Midnight**

**Harry is 10 Year Old, about to turn 11**

Harry was sound asleep. His mum was going over some important charms with him. Harry had learned so much over the years in the vault. He knew one day it would pay off, but he also knew he would forget most of it when he woke up. "Mum, when will I remember this? I feel more alive and aware when I'm asleep than I do when I'm awake."

Lily's incarnation nodded and ruffled his hair. "One day, the evil upstairs will be gone. When that day comes, we'll start bridging your dream knowledge to your waking mind. You will even be able to see me when you meditate and practice your occlumency. It will be like visiting home." She was smiling at him now.

Taking a deep breath, she added, "I wish you could have gone to Beauxbatons, but your knowledge and ability to access it, has been blocked by that which haunts the upstairs. So, Hogwarts it is. Hopefully, when we are out of the Dursley house, and the wards stop draining my strength, I can reclaim the first floor. Then you can come down here easier. And remember… everything."

"Soon, you'll get your letter for Hogwarts, marking your re-entry to the magical world. It will be a big day, Harry. Your life will never be the same. I am so proud of you. But remember – not everyone is what they seem. Do NOT trust Dumbledore. He never tells the whole truth and he is a master of manipulation." Making eye contact, she adds forcefully, "Say it back to me, Harry."

"Be careful who I trust. Don't trust Dumbledore. People lie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Notes
> 
> And now we move to the Hogwarts years. Thank goodness, I really don't enjoy writing about bad home situations. Give me a Death Eater any day of the week.
> 
> There is a lot of magical knowledge in Harry's subconscious, a decade of intense knowledge transfer. But for now, Tom Riddle's Horcrux is blocking it while he is awake. I could have stretched this out over a few chapters, but I really want to get to past the crappy years at Privet Drive and speed to Year 4.
> 
> So, going forward from this point, I plan to have one chapter per year for the first three years at Hogwarts. Perhaps a summer chapter in between. In year four, the story will slow down. Until year four, the story will be 95% canon. I'll cover the obvious changes in years 1-3, but unless called out, it is SAC (Same as Canon). Basically three abbreviated chapters. possibly three summer chapters as well.
> 
> If you want to read a bit about Post-Hogwarts Harry, the Master of Death, check out my other story – Casting Shadows.
> 
> Till next time - thanks


	5. Hogwarts Year One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter
> 
> FASA Owns Earthdawn
> 
> I am starting anything in Parseltongue with §"Italic script"§
> 
> For the Dance of Death, the first three years at Hogwarts will be summaries and focus on the effects of the Horcrux. In year four, we split from Canon and the summaries stop.
> 
> Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.

**-DoD-**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Surrey, England**

Harry's Hogwarts letter arrived and caused quite a commotion. His Aunt and Uncle went out of their way to keep him from it. Soon, dozens of letters began arriving and Harry thought for sure he could get one… just one. Dudley was no help, he just ran around squealing and tattling every time Harry go close to a letter. It finally reached a point where Uncle Vernon took the family to a remote and tiny island with a decrepit shack on it. The island was little more than a rock, but it was certainly remote. Harry wondered why they just didn't give him his letter.

The shack was filthy, Harry hoped he would not be tasked with cleaning this horrid place. It was getting late and cold. His aunt and uncle put Dudley on a pull-out sofa bed and prepared the main bedroom for themselves.

Harry did not know where he would sleep. "Aunt Petunia, What about me? It's cold and I have nowhere to sleep." He hated asking for help, but he was very cold. It was the night before his birthday, and he wanted something nice to remember.

"You can sleep in the corner. Here is a blanket you can use." She said tossing him a thin and moth-eaten piece of fabric. Tonight, would be rough. As Harry lay down, he started to clear his mind and compartmentalise his day. He had been doing this for a few weeks but could not remember why.

As he started to drift off, He heard a loud BOOM outside. Listening carefully, he knew there was someone out there. Suddenly, the door burst open and in walked the largest man Harry had ever seen. The night then went wild. Uncle Vernon threatened him with a gun, which was promptly snatched out of his hands and bent out of shape. It reminded Harry of a cartoon. Dudley stole Harry's first birthday cake and was given a pig tail for his trouble. Insults were traded and threats were made. The giant of a man kept talking about someone named Dumbledore. For some reason, Harry knew not to trust this Dumbledore. He decided to keep that to himself as the huge man seemed to like him.

As the hijinks wound down, Harry was told he was a wizard and that he would be attending a magic school called Hogwarts. Harry was also told that his parents were heroes, not drunken losers. They fought and were killed by an evil wizard named Voldemort. For some reason Harry kept thinking about green lights and a monster upstairs.

Tomorrow, the giant man was going to take Harry shopping for supplies. Uncle Vernon made a very vocal point about not paying for anything. Apparently, Harry's parents left him money and he was able to afford it on his own. They just needed to go to a bank called Gringotts.

**-DoD-**

The next morning, the giant man – Hagrid, took him to London. They passed through a tavern where people knew who he was! Apparently, Harry had killed the evil wizard somehow and everyone knew him. It made him extremely uncomfortable. Through the tavern, Hagrid tapped on a brick wall with his magic umbrella and it opened into a doorway.

Harry's first time seeing Diagon Alley was one of the most amazing days of his life. He was looking at a magic world. Full of possibilities and opportunities. He might even be… Happy here. They proceeded to the bank and Harry met goblins for the first time. Amazing. Scary too. Hagrid took him to two vaults where Harry filled a bag with gold in one and Hagrid retrieved something wrapped in cloth from the other.

Before they exited, a goblin named Ragnok came out. "Mr. Potter. Mr. Hagrid. It is so good to see you both. Before you set out, perhaps I can interest you in refreshments. Mr. Potter looks a little hungry."

Hagrid had been about to say no when Harry was mentioned. He had a real soft spot for kids, so he agreed to a light fare. "Just be quick about it if you please, we are on a tight schedule." He said happily.

They were taken into a meeting room where they were fed and given plenty of water and cakes. Hagrid had asked for something stronger, but Ragnok had declined, stating that there were rules at Gringotts that must be adhered to.

Hagrid took him to get his uniform first. It was a small shop called Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. The lady working there was nice and set Harry up to be fitted beside a very arrogant small blond boy. While Harry went in to be fitted, Hagrid asked if he minded if he went to grab something a little stronger. Harry agreed, and Hagrid went back to the Leaky Cauldron. After listening to the blond boy share his obnoxious opinions for what felt like an eternity, Harry was fully fitted and ready to go. But no Hagrid. Soon enough, the obnoxious boy's parents collected him and never looked twice at Harry. He was relieved.

After another fifteen minutes, a redheaded young man entered the shop. He was kind of cool looking. He came over and looked right at him with a smile. "Are you Harry Potter?" Seeing Harry nod, he added "Hagrid apparently got sick at the Leaky Cauldron. As you are a key customer and a friend of Hagrid, I have been asked to help you with your supplies. The name is Bill. Bill Weasley. I work at Gringotts."

"You don't look like a Goblin…" Harry tentatively said.

"Nope. I am 100% grade 'A' certified wizard. Just like you! I am a journeyman curse breaker. Gringotts employs wizards as we can go places that they can't. As for your supplies, I have several brothers attending Hogwarts, so I can help with that." Giving him a smile and shrug he then says, "What say we get started?"

Bill took Harry around. He upgraded almost everything on the list saying, "You can afford it." And "You'll be glad you did, trust me." His new trunk was heavily warded and had extra compartments that expanded out. It was charmed to always be light, no matter how full it was. Bill called it a space saver special model with top of the line wards. The cauldron was of a higher quality as well. He also got a spare… just in case. The books he bought went well beyond the list. Bill kept saying the list was just the starting point. Frequently adding, "Most wizards know to get supplemental materials." That really did not seem fair to new wizards…

He also took Harry to a place called 'Zonko's' for magical jokes and candy. "Just don't get caught," he had warned. Bill must have been a heck of a practical joker; he really knew his way around the shop. Harry thought this was his favourite place yet.

Next, Bill next took Harry to an optician to check his eyeglass prescription, only to find that Harry was terribly far sighted. Within five feet, he was practically blind. Tons of great vision at a distance, but none up close. The optician waved his wand a few times, jotted down a few notes, then asked Harry to follow his finger with his eyes but no head movement. Harry failed miserably at this. The optician looked a little bothered and asked Bill if he was Harry's guardian.

"No sir, I am a friend helping out. Is everything alright?"

"Well, yes. Let me check a few things." Pausing a moment, he asked a few more questions:

"Son, do you see well at night? So well, it is nearly as easy to see at night as it is during the day?"

"Yes, sir. I have no issues with seeing at night. I do have trouble with really bright days, though."

"I want you to take your glasses off and look across the street. Can you read the headline on the newspaper sitting on the bench?" Bill looked up at that. It did not sound remotely possible.

"Yes sir. It says Albus Dumbledore to address the ICW"

"Yes, yes. Now keep your glasses off and tell me when you can read this book."

"The optician slowly backed up. Around six or seven feet away, Harry was able to read the page."

Turning the page, switching off the lights and waving his wand to shut the curtains, the room was plunged into near darkness. While not pitch black, little light was present. Without moving any closer, the optician asked, "How about now?"

"Yes, sir." And Harry proceeded to read the page. Bill was stunned. It should not be possible… The optician then cleared things up a bit.

"Well, it seems Mr. Potter has partially transformed eyes. Owl eyes to be specific. I will make a variable prescription lens that will adjust when his eyes fluctuate between partially transfigured and normal. Mr. Potter, have you ever had any Animagus training?"

"No, Sir. What is Animagus training?"

"Hmmm. Not to worry about that. Please give this letter to Mme Pomfrey at Hogwarts. She can assist you there. Your new glasses will be ready in about an hour."

Bill was quiet. Just looking at Harry in an odd sort of way. "Well, you are an interesting wizard. Let's get two pairs. One as a spare pair. Ok, let's go get your wand Harry."

The sign above the wand shop read, Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. The shop was full of small rectangular boxes. It was also dark and dusty. But so were a lot of the shops in Diagon Alley. The old man had creeped Harry out. Once again, someone who knew him. They went through a huge number of wands, then he settled on a Holly and Phoenix feather wand from the back. It lit up and sparks flew out of it. Harry then, for some reason, changed hands. His left hand had the same basic reaction. Perhaps even a little better.

"Ah, interesting Mr. Potter. Not only are you a match for the wand that is a brother to the one that gave you that scar, but you are an omni caster. Equally able to cast with both hands. In fact, the wand seems to prefer your left hand. Very slightly. It might shift over time, but it responds to each hand so nearly equal now… I wonder why…"

Bill seemed to be looking intently at the wand. Something about a 'brother' wand and Voldemort… Before Harry could raise concerns, he saw Hagrid outside with a beautiful snowy owl.

"Well, looks like Hagrid is back in action" Bill stated with a grin.

"Ello 'Arry. Don't know what came over me. One pint and I was stuck in the bathroom for hours." Shaking his head. He then added, "Well, here is a birthday gift from me. She's a beauty and I know you'll get along famously."

Turning to Bill, Hagrid said, "Bill! Thanks for helping. Must have been bad beer… Well, off we go."

Seeing them leave, Bill knew it wasn't bad beer. The goblins spiked his food with something that interacted with the alcohol. Sending a top customer, like Harry Potter, to Gringotts with only Hagrid was a bit of an insult. There were questions around why Harry knew nothing about Gringotts. Why he had apparently never gotten his mail. Hagrid was nice enough, but a dim bulb on a dark night. At least Bill rectified it. Harry had the best supplies he could get and enough to see him through his third year at least. The Owl eyes and the wand were bombshells, he was glad to have been here. What was Dumbledore thinking? Sending Hagrid… Why not McGonagall? Or Flitwick? Well, better take off.

Bill had felt something after Harry got his wand. A wave of animosity toward the boy. Thankfully, Hagrid showed up and the sensation ceased. Strange. He would have to think on this.

Bill called out before heading out, "Oi, Hagrid, before you leave the alley, pick up Harry's new glasses. They will be ready by now. Bye Harry!"

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts Express**

Harry was having a great time on the train. His new trunk had a 'feather-light' charm on it, making it easier to get around with. Like he was told, it was larger on the inside and had many compartments. He had filled up most with the books Bill had him buy. He had already read all the books on the list, except Hogwarts: A History. That was crazy boring. He had gotten through about half of the supplemental books. No matter what he read, he felt like he had read it before. More like it was a review. Strange. He knew he dreamed about magic and his mum, but could he have dreamed about these books? The Introduction to Runes was way too basic. He wrote and asked Bill for more advanced copies and Bill sent him a few that were a little better. Writing again, he asked for the most advanced and received advanced versions, courtesy of Gringotts. They covered not just Nordic Runes, but Minoan and Egyptian as well. Harry still felt like it was review, but a much better review. Bill even offered to answer any questions Harry may have, "Just send an owl", he wrote.

He had met Ron Weasley, Bill's Brother, and they were eating their weight in candy. A bossy girl had come in and demonstrated a little magic. She had recognised Harry right off. It was fun. They asked her to stay, but she begged off. Something about a boy losing a frog. Or a toad. Named Trevor. Ron had a rat and he had an owl. Both seemed better than a toad, Harry thought. Each his own.

His scar only flared up once on the train. Ron didn't get mad; he just got a bit depressed. Complained about being poor. Forgotten. Harry had seen this before too. The scar didn't always make people hate him. Sometimes it made people hate themselves. It seems to feed off misery. But then it passed.

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts Year One**

When they arrived, Harry had the most amazing view of the castle. The first years all got in small boats and approached Hogwarts from the lake. Beautiful! Then, that pompous blond GIT from the robe store came up and tried to shake his hand. All the while insulting his new friend. His FIRST friend ever. Harry refused to take his hand. He felt a brief piercing in his scar and waited for the inevitable. There it was, the little blond windbag glazed over for a moment, then came out insulting them both. Pure malice was now shining in his eye. Harry could live with that.

The sorting ceremony was brilliant. A talking hat that put you where you would learn the most. Harry was a bit worried about being put in Slytherin. Ron was his new and only friend and he had said Gryffindor was the best. Slytherin was evil. Ravenclaw was for nerds. And Hufflepuff was just a bunch of duffers. Harry decided that out of the four, he could live with any but the evil one. He had enough of that at home. No thank you.

Finally, his name was called. The hat slid onto his head and down over much of his face. Harry just kept thinking "Not Slytherin!" Repeatedly.

"Hmmm. Interesting. Talented, quite powerful, oh yes. You are strong of will and quite loyal. But slow to trust. So much betrayal and pain in one so young. Also, courageous, and smart. Hmmm. But, where to put you… What? Not Slytherin? Slytherin could put you on a path to greatness you know. Hmmm. Did you know you have three personalities in here? Very odd. Frightening even. I recognize both extras… Well, seeing how one of your residents is Slytherin and one is Gryffindor, kind of a wash. Not Slytherin you say… Well, alright. Better be GRYFFINDOR!"

And Harry joined his new house amidst cheers and even a few red heads chanting "We Got Potter!" Soon, Ron joined, and the feast was served. As he looked up at the teachers, he noticed one staring intently at him. Then, his scar began to burn. He hissed in pain at that. Looking around, he noted a few of his new house mates looking… sad. 'Nonononono'. Maybe it would be OK… Who was that greasy evil looking man glaring at him?

The time flew by and Harry adjusted to his new house. He had a check-up with Mme Pomfrey, and he gave her the note from the optician. She read the note and abruptly called in Professor McGonagall. "I see Mr. Potter you have inherited some of your father's talent. I think I will have to give you a bit of extra attention in your NEWT years. You are already on your way to being an Animagus." She seemed so happy. Then with a slight frown, "I regret to do this, but I have to fix your eyes. Hold still."

She waved her wand and Harry felt like his eyes had been poked. "There, there, Mr. Potter. The discomfort passes quickly." His vision seemed almost normal up close, but distance and dark vision was less than it had been. On the plus side, he could now move his eyes easily. Dudley used to tease him for always having to turn his head to see things that weren't in front of him. No more neck swivelling.

Professor McGonagall then ended the discussion with, "Keep your glasses, Mr. Potter. You were in the transfigured state for an awfully long time. Likely, you will continue to be somewhat far-sighted, so you will need them to read. Just not quite as badly. That's why we don't teach transformation in the formative years. On the positive side, you will have very sharp distance vision and your night vision will be far better than the average wizard." Waving her wand over the glasses, she added, "The prescription on your glasses will automatically adjust if you suddenly find yourself partially transfigured again. I also see they have been enchanted to not only adjust with your prescription, but also to lighten and darken in bright light. Particularly useful when you may be somewhat light sensitive." Continuing her analysis, "Hmmm. water repellent, fog free, and unbreakable charmed. All in all, a nice pair of glasses you have here. I look forward to seeing more of you in transfiguration." And she walked off. Harry kind of missed his owl vision, but he could live with this.

**-DoD-**

A few days later he had his first class with Professor Snape. This was the professor that was staring at him in the feast. Harry felt his scar flare up and right on schedule, the man singled him out and started asking questions that Harry knew were not in the books for first years.

"Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?" While he was thinking, another question was fired at him "Where would you look if I told you to find me a Bezoar?" Before Harry could even take a breath, he fired away another question, "What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?" Then, he ended with a smug, "Apparently, fame isn't everything." Harry could sense that he was somehow deriving… enjoyment, no… nourishment from this.

"Begging your pardon, Sir, you did not give me time to respond." That got a venomous glare, "Asphodel and Wormwood go into a sleeping potion called the Drought of Living Death. A Bezoar is found in the stomach of a goat. Monkshood and wolfsbane come from the same plant, also called aconite. And absolutely none of this is in our first year reading material… Sir."

"Enough! That will be five points from Gryffindor for cheek and being an insufferable know-it-all. Why isn't anyone writing this down?"

His new friend Ron was staring openly at him, "Mate, how did you know all that?" To which Harry responded, "I have no idea. Must have heard it somewhere." Harry noticed that Hermione was just staring at him.

**-DoD-**

At one point, Ron had insulted Hermione, causing her to go crying into the bathroom. She had rather embarrassingly corrected him, and he lashed out. Harry really didn't like it when Ron would lash out like that. He knew his scar was causing some of it, but the rest was just thoughtlessness. She was missing the Halloween feast!

While she was in the bathroom crying, Quirrell ran in screaming about a Troll. Harry pulled Ron aside and made him help get Hermione. It was his fault, after all. They managed to stop the Troll and earn a few points for the house for 'sheer dumb luck'. From that point on, the three of them were inseparable. Harry did notice Ron chasing away other potential friends, but he let him do it. Ron was the first friend he had ever made, and he was sticking by him. Scar or no scar.

**-DoD-**

The year continued and progressed. They had many adventures. Harry made it onto the Quidditch team after sticking up for Neville. That was amazing. Normally, first years are not allowed to play. There was an incident with the broom being cursed in the first game, but Hermione took care of it. Snape appeared to be doing it to make his house win. Snape was still a royal GIT, but the other teachers were OK.

Harry stayed at Hogwarts over the Christmas Holiday with Ron. They had a brilliant time. Harry was given an invisibility cloak by an anonymous person. The Weasleys even sent him a jumper with an 'H' on it. Words could not describe how this made him feel. The boys found a magic mirror that showed your heart's desire, explored the kitchens and back rooms, and just got to know the castle. it was the happiest Christmas he had ever had.

He continued with the nightly mental exercise he had started. Clearing his mind. Organising his thoughts. It seemed to help with keeping the scar contained, but it leaked out on occasion. Usually making people feel bad. He noticed Ron's rat seemed to enjoy watching Ron get depressed. Always looking straight at Ron when he had a bad dream. Always… feasting on his friend's pain. But Ron loved that rat.

**-DoD-**

Harry's dreams were brilliant, and he always woke happy, but could never remember why. When he would try, his scar would feel like a nail was being driven through his head. His courses were beyond easy for him. He would alternate hands with each assignment and could tell no difference in the results. Apparently, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick thought this was very unusual. He really wanted more challenges. Fortunately, there was always Quidditch!

He was a natural at every class he took, but Transfiguration, Charms, and Herbology were his favourites. Charms and Transfiguration were so easy, he was moved up to fifth year material. That was better, but still so simple. Herbology was for relaxation. He always had a knack for growing things. Neville did too.

**-DoD-**

Harry loved potions, but not dealing with Snape. He considered it a self-study course and helped a few of the other Gryffindors on the weekends. He just knew how to brew potions, like he had been doing it for years. Snape was the worst teacher he had ever seen. He went out of his way to harass and torment his students. He did this to the point where they would make mistakes, then he would insult them and deduct points. All while the Slytherin students snickered.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione tried to raise a formal complaint with McGonagall, but she just dismissed them. During the discussion, Harry's scar flared up and McGonagall implied that Snape's behaviour was Harry's father's fault and she would no longer favour Gryffindor where he was concerned. This left the trio confused and a little hurt.

Hermione convinced Harry to use his fame for a good purpose and write a letter to the board. They documented events and quotes that the potions professor had used against the students. They had a petition signed by over 200 students. Many of them were older students who had dropped potions to get away from him specifically. Harry was considering reaching out to former students as well.

The letter and the petition mysteriously vanished one day.

Harry was summoned to Headmaster Dumbledore's office and was asked why he felt the need to write to the board. The older wizard was really turning on the grandfatherly charm. His eyes TWINKLED. That had to be a magical effect. Harry laid it out. He talked about the abuse in class, his head of house refusing to help, and the way he believed Snape to be vampire that fed off negative emotion.

That last bit got Dumbledore's attention. "Harry, who have you shared this theory with?" Harry felt a tingling in his head. He instinctively cleared his mind and focused on blocking outside influence… Before he completed the technique, he had 'somehow' learned, one thought sprang into his mind. "Don't Trust Dumbledore. He Lies".

Verbally, Harry said "I told everyone who would listen. It is obvious when you really look for it." Going for broke, he asked, "Sir, did you **steal** my letter and petition?"

Dumbledore was shocked. He just stared at Harry. He finally said something to the effect of "No more Letters Harry. My door is always open if you would like to talk." He ushered Harry out. Gone was the grandfather persona. Harry just asked him if he was a thief. And Albus knew that he was.

**-DoD-**

Harry was still self-studying Runes and was well into the library's NEWT books when professor Babbling found him reading some of the more advanced books. She petitioned to have him placed in NEWT level classes after a Sunday afternoon with Harry going over his knowledge, but Dumbledore rejected the request. Something about favouritism. She did agree to meet with Harry regularly and answer any questions he had. Unfortunately, his scar flared up in a few of these meetings and professor Babbling never made time again.

Near the end of school, Hermione, Ron, and Harry had screwed up and got caught trying to send a dragon away. They cost their house so many points, no one wanted to talk to them. His scar had started flaring up again, making it worse. But it was still OK. He had two real friends. That's two more than he had ever had before.

**-DoD-**

The year ended with Hermione, Ron and Harry saving the Philosophers Stone from Voldemort. Voldemort was possessing Quirrell! Not Snape… Harry confronted him in the Chamber. They clashed and Harry ended up destroying him with his touch. As Quirrell fell, a dark spectre rose from his ashes and flew straight threw Harry, knocking him unconscious.

The spectre paused and looked back. "Soooo Harry Potter. You are one of my Horcruxes! I'll be seeing you very soon." Laughing, it flew off and away from the castle.

Dumbledore had found Harry and took him to the hospital wing. He was magically exhausted, but had managed to defeat Voldemort, yet again. Albus took the liberty of scanning the boy and saw the Horcrux had continued growing. The damage the blood wards in his home had caused may have been irreparable. It was a true miscalculation. No doubt, confronting Voldemort himself gave the Horcrux a nasty power boost as well.

Harry's revelation about Severus feeding on misery was a shock. Could that be true? Albus had heard that Death Eaters change when they take the mark. He had watched conservative and strong-willed men suddenly become sadistic to all around them. It appeared to be gradual, but inevitable. Do they even know they have changed? Could they only be happy when they are surrounded by pain or misery? If they do feed on this, where does the energy go? Is that why Tom became so powerful over night? He went from gifted and brilliant to having a mage level of raw power. Going a step further, should the captured Death Eaters be in Azkaban?

This year, Harry had shown himself to be a prodigy. The Weasleys had reported a correspondence with Bill on Runes. Bill would be an exceptionally good influence. Unfortunately, Albus feared that each year, his skills would seem to dim as the Horcrux grows. Perhaps if he keeps Harry at the castle during the holidays and moves him to the Weasley house halfway through the summer, the Horcrux growth could be slowed. He had found a few ways to destroy the Horcrux in a live being, but none that didn't kill the host. He would write Molly and Arthur to decide. He knew they had a soft spot for orphans.

Now, he had to repair the relationship with the boy. He still remembered hearing the thoughts "Don't trust Dumbledore, he lies." Then a modest level of occlumency pushed him out. He could break through if he wanted, but that would be overt and painful. The fact that Harry knew any occlumency was shocking. Had Bill been training him? How on earth had he transfigured owl eyes? According to Minerva, he had had them at least five years… Mysteries.

**-DoD-**

Harry slept and recovered.

"Hello Harry", Lily's incarnation said while holding him. Harry just looked up at her. He was resting in the vault under his old house. In his dream scape. The only safe place. His mum looked tired. He knew she had made headway in driving out the evil upstairs, but the conflict with Quirrell let it surge back.

"Hi mum. Back in the vault… I'm sorry. I know how hard you worked." He was trying to stay positive. He remembered being able to go to the first floor a few weeks ago, but that was corrupt again.

"It's OK, Harry. The evil has zero chance of getting down here and we can continue to train. Honestly, now we are in the realm of theory. You have mastered so much already."

Harry sat up and considered the year. "I do have a few questions. Why does Hermione seem to be immune to the scar, but Ron gets so depressed? Why does Snape hate me? Why is Ron's rat feeding on his misery? When will I be able to remember the dream time we have together?"

Lily just smiled. "Well, ending the school year with questions… Let's see. I suspect Hermione is immune due to a life debt. You saved her from that troll, and you were not yet friends or allies. Before you ask, it must be a selfless act to incur a life debt. No ulterior motives. Once you are friends or allies, it does not count. It all depends on INTENT."

"So, Hermione owes Ron and me a life debt?"

Shaking her head, "No, Harry. Ron **caused** the situation that almost got her killed. He gets no life debt for fixing what he caused. And you had to strong arm him into helping. If the life debt is active, it would counter the effect of the scar. But only under normal conditions. If you took her to Privet Drive, she would likely feel it. The blood wards require me to focus much less on containing it externally. My main goal is to protect you internally from it."

"Next question, why does Severus hate you." Pausing and thinking, Lily decided to just tell it like it was. "Severus hates you for a number of reasons, none of them good. You look like your father, who despised Severus. Severus was always insanely jealous of James, it bordered on obsession. You, Harry, are a reminder that I chose your father over Severus. I just never saw him romantically. When he began playing the blood purist game, I cut all ties. He is a dangerous man and is best avoided. That's why I train you on potions so much. You cannot count on him. You can still take your OWLs and your NEWTs without the class, just claim self-study."

"The rat... It might be Peter Pettigrew. If it is feeding on Ron's misery, it could very well be a Death Eater. Peter is the only Death Eater I know that was a rat Animagus. Always be cautious around that rat Harry! Always! When you can access these memories, there is a spell we can use to force him out of the Animagus form. Like the one that Minerva used on your eyes."

"Final question – when will you be able to remember? I don't know Harry. If we can get away from all magic, I can possibly push it out. But that will take years. I'm sorry."

Seeing how depressed this made Harry, she added, "Keep in mind Harry, people who are affected by the scar are really victims too. Don't hold it against them. Not too much anyway. I was extremely disappointed in Minerva, but I understand how it happened. Stay positive Harry, we will get thru this."

Smiling at her son, she switched gears "Now, let's see about creating another spell matrix…"

**The next day**

**Hogwarts Hospital Wing**

Harry wakes up… Ron has eaten his chocolate frogs.

**To be continued in the next chapter.**


	6. Year 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter
> 
> FASA Owns Earthdawn
> 
> Much of year two will follow cannon. I will detail out a few areas where it slightly differs, mostly due to the Horcrux. This is going to be more of a summary chapter.
> 
> I am starting anything in Parseltongue with §"Italic script"§
> 
> Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.

**Year 2**

Harry was sound asleep and in the "vault" of his childhood home with his mum. He was practicing the creation of elemental spears both with a spell matrix (wandless) and with his wand. He liked the wand best as he could launch it faster and farther, hitting the target with more force. With the spell matrix, he would do the same, but would throw with his hand. The wand gave it more physical force and a magical boost. His mum said using a wand for an elemental spear was like using a tool called an Atlatl. There were basically five elemental spears – Earth, which had more force of impact, Air, which landed with a thunderous bang, Fire, which combusted on impact, Water, which actually healed damage, and Wood which would entangle the target in addition to the standard damage. Harry preferred to use wood, but was proficient with all of them. Switching hands, he found he was right eye dominant, so he had to adjust his aim slightly when casting left handed. Throwing the spears was fun.

Lily's incarnation watched with pride. Harry had mastered so many things over the last decade. Some of the skills had managed to sneak past the Horcrux. His encounter with Quirrell had allowed the Horcrux to gain more ground, but she had plans to beat it back during the school year. As long as nothing strengthened the Horcrux from the outside, she could recover some of the lost ground. Dumbledore and his blood wards had done so much damage to Harry's mindscape over the last decades they were now limited to the downstairs vault. Not only did the blood wards impact her ability to contain the Horcrux, but it also caused horrifically negative actions on the part of her sister and husband. Lily never really liked Vernon, but he was not a BAD person. Certainly nothing like who is now with the constant influence of the Horcrux. One day, Dumbledore would be made to pay for his meddling.

Harry loved the attention and all things magical. She tried to make up for how miserable his waking world was. "Harry, that's very good. Let's try something different. I want you to practice your occlumency. Once you are calm, I'll walk you through something."

Harry took his glasses off. "I want you to think about how your vision was when you had "owl eyes". Focus on the sharpness of the objects in the distance. On how well you saw at night. Here, I'll dim the lights." Harry continued breathing rhythmically and kept his mind clear. Slowly he focused on a second hand of a clock mounted on the far wall. Soon, it came into sharp focus.

"Good, Harry. Now, describe what you are seeing."

"I see everything so well. Sound is sharper too, I don't remember that." Watching the arm of the clock, he also observed something odd, "The second hand seems to be moving slower too."

Lily's incarnation did not expect that. "That is… unusual. Tell me about the sound first, then the speed change."

"Well, the sound is easy, it just seems to be sharp. It's like I can pinpoint it if I try. Sometimes this happens when I am playing Quidditch. My vision gets sharper and I can hear the wings of the Snitch. It's like I use the sound to zero in and then the vision spots it."

Hmmm. I seem to recall that Owls have directional hearing. You are probably picking a bit of that up. Your ears haven't shifted, so it is probably a half way point." Harry seemed to accept this. She knew if she had Harry practice this every day, as with some of the best spells she knew, it would become instinctive and accessible while awake.

"Now, the speed change."

"Well, when I sharpened my vision, the movements just seem to slow down. ***** It's not so much that I speed up, but more like the world slows down. I guess I'm just _processing_ faster? I could have used that against Quirrell! I'm already really fast and have good reflexes, this will make so many things super easy." Pausing to think for a moment, "Do you think that's why I am so good at catching the snitch?"

"Well, I think it is the fact that you are a natural flier. Just like James. You would know if you had turned this on. Still, in the heat of the moment, maybe not." She tried not to think too much about James, they should have been training him together. Still, she was thankful for the time she had with Harry.

"Now, I want you to learn to shift your vision from full on Owl to as close as you can get to normal. Then pick a point in between. With practice, we may even be able to only call up certain elements. Like Night vision or this 'speed vision'. The distance vision seems to prevent you from shifting your eyes side to side, but in a duel, tunnel vision happens naturally. Before the duel, you need all your peripheral vision. So, speed of change and making it instinctive will be a huge assistance when you need it."

She did not know when Harry's eyes originally shifted, but it was probably while in the cupboard. He used to sneak out at night and had to navigate in the dark. Still, this was quite the trick. Partial transformations. At 12. If Sirius were still alive, he could guide Harry through the full transformation. McGonagall was good too, but she would register Harry, taking away his advantage. Lily had no idea how it was done and did not want to risk it. Animagus transformations were not in her wheelhouse.

"So, today is your Birthday Harry. I want to teach you something. It is a talent called "Wind Catcher" Now if you fall off your broom, you can glide to the ground. Here, relax your mind…" She gently lay her hand on Harry's forehead.

Harry was suddenly high up in the sky. They were both held up by the wind, drifting to and fro. His mum showed him how to direct his descent. It was magic, but not spell matrix magic or wand magic. He had never felt so carefree or happy. The clouds were his home. The Dursleys may have forgotten his Birthday, and that crazy elf may have gotten him in trouble… But this was the best birthday ever. Someday he would become an owl and own the sky.

"Harry, this is elemental magic," Lily's incarnation shouted to him. "Be one with the wind. It will support and protect you." And they practiced gliding and landing. She would add this to his nightly rituals. The Quidditch broom incident with Quirrell can't be allowed to happen again.

 ***In addition to directional 'super hearing', amazing night vision and insane telescopic vision, Owls also** ** _process_** **visual information much faster than a human. A human processes light at approximately 60Hz. A Dog processes at approximately 80 Hz. A Bird is around 100Hz. This means a Dog takes in visual information at 33% faster than a human and a bird would process at about 66% faster. It is not really the eyes as much as the brain. I imagine it makes it a lot easier to dodge when you process movements faster. I love the internet.**

(Source:DailyMail:dot:com, by Sarah Griffiths, Published 9 July 2014.)

—-DoD—-

Well, that could have gone better. After being blocked from entering the platform, He and Ron had decided to take the Ford Anglia to Hogwarts. First, the invisibility booster failed. Then they had to just ride along for hours. No rest rooms, no water, and the slow realisation that they were going to be in deep trouble. As they neared the school, the car malfunctioned and ran into a tree. Harry suspected it just got tired. The tree went berserk and attacked the car and banged it up real bad. The car got mad and ejected them both and all their luggage. Stumbling up to the school, they were immediately disciplined by Snape, McGonagall, and even Dumbledore. His scar flared up a bit, but he suspected that they would have been in trouble no matter what. The rest of Gryffindor house treated them like heroes, but Percy looked really mad. Hermione was not so kind. Harry hated it when she was mad at him, but in this case, it was worth it. Then the howler came, and the guilt set in. Mr. Weasley was in trouble, the car he loved was gone, Ron's wand was broken, and it was all their fault.

—-DoD—-

The Quidditch match against Slytherin was wild. First, Draco had bought his way onto the team and constantly taunted Harry. Then, a rogue Bludger decided to attack Harry, resulting in Harry having to pull out all stops to avoid it. In the end, Harry was an amazing flier and managed to both avoid the Bludger and caught the Snitch. Unfortunately it cost him all the bones in his right arm. Gilderoy Lockhart was a menace.

—-DoD—-

Harry was in a horrible mood. The Chamber of Secrets was opened and now students were being Petrified. First, Colin was petrified, then he got blamed for Filch's horrible cat being Petrified. Honestly, the man grabbed and threatened him. A grown man threatening a twelve year old! An adult assaulted a student, but he was not fired? Then, the utter train wreck of a duelling club. First, Draco tried to cast on 'two' instead of 'three', the damn cheater. Everything seemed to slow down and Harry dodged the spell. Then the little blonde bastard summoned a snake to attack him. Harry talked to the snake to save Justin, and now everyone was scared of him. Damn that Malfoy! Snape told him to do that! Now he was a pariah again. No friends. Except Hermione, of course. She was always there beside him. Ron seemed ok, until the scar flared up. Now he was avoiding Harry as well.

Harry tried to find Justin to talk to him, but he overheard a bunch of 'puffs gossiping about him. Ernie and Hannah just couldn't keep their opinions to themselves. He confronted them, and it just got worse. Hufflepuffs were supposed to be the nicer house. At least Susan wasn't there. Now Justin and Nick were Petrified and almost everyone thought he did it! The twins were the only people who seemed to enjoy it. They walked in front of Harry saying things like 'Make way for the Heir of Slytherin' and 'Dark Wizard coming through'. They thought they were being funny, but they weren't. At least Dumbledore believed him.

—-DoD—-

Harry and Ron worked things out. Which was a way of saying that, Ron had come to his senses. The trio stayed at Hogwarts for the Holidays. They were planning to sneak into the Slytherin dorms and see if Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin. Or at least, know who might be. It was a miserable flop. Hermione accidentally turned into a cat and Malfoy didn't know anything. They visited Hermione frequently and looked forward to term starting again.

School started up and Harry was still a pariah. No one seemed to trust or want to be around him. Harry knew a lot of it was the scar, but not all. It was like people had gotten into a habit of avoiding him. One day, after visiting Hermione he and Ron found a strange diary in Moaning Myrtles bathroom. He was intrigued by it, but he could not tell why. His scar reacted oddly to it and it seemed… foul. Ron could not smell anything on it. Harry decided it probably stank because it was in a toilet. Yuck. He Scourgified it good after realising that. Still, the foulness was there. Maybe it got into the binding. Ick. He'd have to show it to Hermione when she got out of the hospital ward.

—-DoD—

Valentine's Day was a terrible distraction. Lockhart made a big production of it and Harry even got an embarrassing valentines message. He ended up in a hallway duel with Malfoy who was intent on stealing and reading the diary Harry and Ron had found. Harry easily defeated Malfoy, but then had to deal with fighting in the halls. He never caught a break. Getting back to his room, Harry figured out how the diary worked. You would simply write in the diary, and Tom Riddle would reply. Ingenious. Upon asking about the Chamber of Secrets, Tom pulled Harry into the diary and viewed what appeared to be Hagrid getting caught for accidentally opening the Chamber. Something about that seemed odd to Harry. Coming out of the diary, Harry's scar seemed to be leaking negative energy all over the place. Normally it just flared up from time to time, but now it seems to be in overdrive. It was even bleeding a bit. This couldn't be good.

—-DoD—-

Over the next few months, the diary was stolen and his scar slowly reduced its output, but the damage was done. Harry had been attacked multiple times in the hallways, frequently from the rear or in an ambush. He had spent more time in the hospital wing than in his own dorm. Ron had deserted him again, and even the twins seemed to avoid him. Hermione was the only person that stood by him. The attacks ended when he sent some kind of magical spear made of fire at a group of attackers. Fortunately, it just missed one of them. The damage to the wall indicated that, had it hit a student, the results would have been terrible. Harry had no idea where he had learned that spell, but it seemed natural, almost like a reflex move. It was always funny how things seemed to slow down when he was attacked. By now, he had demonstrated so many skills he didn't remember learning that he just went with it. They seemed to only come out under duress. He'd rather the other students feared him than attacked him. Some would. Some would not...

—-DoD—-

During a Quidditch practice Fred and George went out of their way to send Bludgers after him at practice. Harry managed to dodge them, but it was a close call. Landing, Harry felt his scar flare up. Here it comes... Then Angelina and Alicia accosted him about being a closet Slytherin. Katie and Oliver did nothing to dissuade them. Fred and George seemed amused by it all. The argument ended with Alicia cursing him with boils in a rather 'sensitive' part of his anatomy. To her credit, Katie helped him to the hospital ward. Angelina thought it was funny. As did the twins. Normally, Harry just took it, but for this, he was filing a complaint. He never even pulled his wand.

Harry asked for McGonagall while he was in the hospital ward. When she showed up, she looked pissed. "So, Mr. Potter, you picked a fight and lost." And they just stared at each other.

"Professor, Alicia hexed me and I never even drew my wand. I'd hardly call that picking a fight."

She obviously was not hearing him. "You and your practical jokes. Always bullying and starting trouble. Now it finds you and you want to complain on a victim that stands up for herself? I'm deducting ten points, but it will only offset the ten points I am giving Alicia for standing up for herself." Seeing Harry about to protest, she hastily added, "Another word and you will be looking at detention."

"I see. I think it would be best if I resigned from the team. Best for everyone." Harry loved Quidditch, but he no longer felt safe. McGonagall loved winning the cup, let's see them do it without a seeker. She looked shocked, but accepted his decision and left. The fires were burning hot inside Harry. Was this what it felt like to be a Dark Wizard? Everyone hated you and you only wanted justice? No, can't be. A dark lord killed his mum. He couldn't think like that. But he couldn't let the girls get away with this either.

-DoD-

The next day was Sunday, he was released by Madame Pomfrey and returned to the Gryffindor common room. Everyone stopped and looked at him. Oliver Wood just shook his head and went back to studying. Clearly, he heard the news. Alicia and Angelina were on the sofa and had obviously been chatting. Alicia winked at Harry and asked, "How are the Bits, Harry?" Angelina and most of the room laughed. The only people not laughing were Katie, Ginny, Hermione, and surprise, surprise, Ron.

Harry's vision focused in. The world slowed down. Before he knew it, he had drawn his wand back and then snapped it forward. A spear formed on the wand and flew from it as Harry imitated a primitive hunter throwing a projectile. The spear struck the sofa between the girls and exploded in thorny vines. Harry somehow pumped enough magic into the spear that the vines covered the entire common room, but Alicia and Angelina got it worst. They were wrapped up and bleeding from the thorns. 'Let's see how they like the hospital ward.' Harry thought as he quickly went up to his room. Neville was there.

"Hi, Harry. I was planning to come by today. I'm glad you are better." Pausing a moment, he continued with, "I want you to know that I don't think it's you. The Heir of Slytherin. Just thought you would want to know."

Harry was touched. This shy boy had enough courage to go against the grain. "Thanks Neville. It means a lot."

A few minutes later, Hermione came up. She looked mad. "Harry, why did you do that? Don't you know what they will say about you now?" It always seemed strange to Harry that girls could get into the boys dorms, but not the reverse. Neville clearly had no idea what had happened and Harry did not really want to discuss it.

"Hermione, I had boils on my bits and did nothing to deserve it. It hurt like crazy and somehow I lost points for being cursed. McGonagall is worthless as a head of house and I am sick of taking everyone's crap!"

Looking up suddenly, he saw Professor McGonagall standing there. She was outraged. "Worthless am I? Well, we will see about that. First, you will hand over your wand. You will only have it during charms and transfiguration classes." Harry reluctantly handed it over.

"Next you will clear out the common room of the plants you summoned. Without magic. I suggest you wear gloves. Finally, you are on detention for the rest of the year. You will be passed around the teachers to assist in their dirtiest jobs. I told you I would expel you if you stepped out of line, but Albus overrode me. This time. One more act like the one down stairs and I will snap your wand myself."

"I wonder, Professor, if this is the way the staff treated Tom Riddle. He seemed to have bitterness about the school as well."

That got her attention. She just backed up with a look of horror on her face. "Where did you hear about Tom Riddle?"

Harry just shrugged, "I found something in the library." McGonagall made a hasty retreat.

—-DoD—-

**Dumbledore's Office**

**15 minutes later**

A hasty staff meeting was called. Minerva kicked it off.

"Albus, he cast an elemental spear! Just like Lily used to. And then he talked about Tom Riddle like he knew him. We need to expel Mr. Potter immediately. Obviously, Harry is the heir of Slytherin!" McGonagall was in a near panic.

Severus looked pale at that. "I am inclined to agree with Minerva. He needs to go. For the safety of the other students."

Filius jumped in at that. "Wait a minute, I have yet to see him take any action he was not provoked into. He has been bullied and harassed all year long." He then looked directly at Severus and added, "Longer, even, by certain members of the staff." The accusation was direct. "I seriously doubt he cast an elemental spear charm. It is a lost and unknown spell. Lily was the last known person to cast it."

Minerva tossed Harry's wand to him. "Check it yourself. Or better yet, go visit the common room. It is covered in thorny vines. Then, you can stop by the hospital ward and see the result of his 'lost and unknown spell', the results speak volumes."

Filius cast the 'Priori Incantatem' spell on the wand and was amazed. A perfectly formed elemental spear. In fact, it was the second one he had cast. "Amazing. We must know how he did it. This is lost arcane lore!"

While he was doing this, Pomona spoke up, "My badgers have been terrified of him all year, but I just don't see it. Every time I look, he is getting hexed or cursed in the back. I don't blame him for standing up for himself." Looking at Minerva, "What are you doing about THAT, Minerva?"

Suddenly, the room burst into accusations and angry words to each other.

Albus finally spoke up, "ENOUGH! Mr. Potter has been unfairly targeted. While he cast a very dangerous spell, it seemed to have struck a point BETWEEN the girls who had hexed him earlier. The punishment stands. But he will NOT be expelled."

That had mixed reactions. Severus and McGonagall were not happy. Filius and Pomona were. The rest were unconcerned. Well, Sybil was playing it up with drama, but it was impossible to tell which side she fell on. That was to be expected.

Albus continued, "Minerva, tell me everything he said about Tom. Leave out no details." As Minerva recounted the conversation, it was clear to Albus that Harry actually knew very little. He had somehow come across the name and used it to rattle Minerva. He would discuss with Harry during one of his detentions. What worried Albus the most was the reports of constant attacks on the boy. It would not take much to turn him Dark. Harry was already bordering on becoming Grey. He may even be there at 12 years old. Albus had to prevent any further sliding. He should have done the same with Tom all those years ago.

"Minerva, please assign a prefect to accompany Harry. No more attacks can be allowed. This 'Heir of Slytherin' madness must stop."

-DoD-

The next few weeks passed by slowly. Some of Harry's detentions were awful. Snape had him cleaning cauldrons that were beyond disgusting. Harry suspected he intentionally brewed the vilest and most putrid potions he could think of, just for his detentions. His scar flared regularly when he was with Snape. The man took every opportunity to insult him and belittle his father.

Minerva just had him writing lines. Always watching him with that pinched face. Like she wanted to say something, but couldn't quite work out how. His scar flared up occasionally, but it made little difference. She was a stern and terribly unfair teacher. The lines made no sense. 'I will not bully members of other houses…', 'I will treat all students with respect…', 'I will behave in a more serious manner…' It was like he was writing lines for someone else.

Filch had him clean bathrooms. Without magic, this was quite the task. Disgusting. The man was as bad as Snape, he should not be allowed around children.

Some detentions were actually quite nice, Professor Flitwick wanted Harry to tell him how he cast the spear, but Harry couldn't remember. He tried to demonstrate it, but couldn't. It seemed to be something he could only do when under stress. The more he thought about it, the harder it got. Flitwick decided he was 'blocked' somehow. He just had Harry read and write up a report on different duelling styles. He even specified which ones to focus on. Was this even a punishment? His scar flared up once, resulting in the professor reminiscing about being a half goblin. The prejudices he had suffered. How his duelling career ended at the peak of his ability due to a height requirement that was introduced. Harry stayed well past his detention to hear more. He like the charms professor and didn't want to leave him. They had dinner together. After this, Filius began teaching Harry a bit about duelling. How to stand, how to pivot, how to cast with minimal wand work, silent casting, etc. It seemed somehow familiar to Harry. Like it was the second time he had learned some of it.

Professor Sprout had him work in the greenhouse. It might seem like a punishment, but she knew Harry was good with plants of all kind, so it was nice. This was the relaxing part of the detention. She actually used the time to talk to Harry about his parents and how kind they were. Thankfully, his scar never flared up.

Then there were the weird detentions. Lockhart had Harry signing autographs and listening to him bluster. Dumbledore showed up during one of his detentions with McGonagall. He asked him about the Tom Riddle comment he had made. Harry told him he found a diary in the toilet and then it was stolen. He left out the part about being pulled into it, or the fact that it wrote back to you. Dumbledore seemed very concerned that there was a diary floating around. Strange.

-DoD-

Hermione stayed by him, as did Neville, in his own quiet way. Percy was assigned to escort Harry around and he was NOT happy about it. He had better things to do and he told Harry that repeatedly. Occasionally, he would get a different prefect to escort Harry. None of them were happy about it. Ron was not openly hostile, but he was not friendly either. He had started hanging around with Seamus and Dean. Good riddance.

Harry started inviting Neville around more. The poor boy was so alone, just like Harry. Occasionally he would shut down, always when the scar would flare up, but Harry tried to be there for him. So did Hermione. There was a new trio in Gryffindor. When Ron found out he had been replaced he actually got mad. Oh, well.

The match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff for the Quidditch cup was today. Oliver had asked Harry to play again. He said he would get the girls to apologise and he would talk to McGonagall about easing the detentions if he would just help them win the cup.

Harry reminded Oliver that he had failed to stick up for Harry when Alicia claimed she was the victim. He also said he had no plans to attend the game. This made the rounds and Percy told Harry that he needed to stay in his dorm. It was not fair that they were both punished for Harry's bad behaviour, he would be attending the game without Harry. Percy was a Prat.

Harry was alone in his room at game time when Professor McGonagall entered. She was looking shocked and a bit afraid. Harry went to the headmaster's office and was told that Hermione and Penelope Clearwater had been Petrified. He was asked to account for his movements over the last hour. When he heard Hermione had been Petrified, he had a true emotional reaction. He broke down in tears saying, "No, no, no. Not Hermione!" Flitwick and Sprout comforted him, Snape sneered, and McGonagall looked confused. She obviously thought he had done it, but was no longer certain. Lockhart boasted that had he only been there he could have stopped whatever foul beast had caused this.

-DoD-

The next few weeks were terrible. Harry visited Hermione as much as possible. Everyone thought he was the heir and treated him like a villain. At least no one attacked him. He kept an eye on Alicia and Angelia, but the twins were a real possibility. His detentions continued, but that was not the worst. Hagrid was sent to Azkaban and Dumbledore was removed. How was everything going so poorly? Percy refused to escort him anymore, saying he thought Harry had Petrified Penelope and he would get him for it. No way was he playing bodyguard for a criminal.

Now that he did not have his wand, people were far more courageous. Especially when he was going to or from a visit with Hermione or a detention. Basically, when he was alone. Harry started using his invisibility cloak to get around and avoid any attacks or ambushes. He saw Percy poised with his wand behind a corner one afternoon and knew who he was waiting for. Alicia and Angelina had also been in an 'ambush position' on at least one occasion. He could almost tell when an ambush was coming because Katie would look depressed and guilty. She became his early warning where the two female chasers were concerned. Had he not been invisible, he knew he would have been right beside Hermione in the hospital ward. He stopped traveling with Neville when he started noticing ambush attempts. He didn't want Neville to get hurt.

Harry just wanted Hermione to get better. In one of his earlier visits to Hermione, he noticed a piece of paper in her hand. It was a description of a Basilisk. He carried that piece of paper everywhere. He knew she had been holding a mirror for some reason. Could there be a connection? Looking at it again for the hundredth time, Harry had a sudden epiphany. The paper was a page from a book! Hermione would never pull a page from a book unless it was critical. That must be it! Was he really so dense that he didn't see it sooner? He needed somewhere he could go to think. Moaning Myrtle's bathroom would do.

Harry was deep in concentration when Myrtle floated over to him. "Hello, Harry. What's on your mind?" She was shimmying up against him. Weird to have a ghost constantly flirting with you. He was lonely and company was company

"I'm working through a few clues. Hermione found information on a monster called a Basilisk. I think that's what's been petrifying students. But I don't know what to do with this information." Then, he noticed Myrtle staring at the piece of paper. She looked sad. Lost, even.

"Myrtle, have you ever seen one of these before?" She just nodded her head. "Where did you see one?

She looked right at Harry. He had never seen her this serious before. "Right over there."

-DoD-

**Minerva McGonagall's Office.**

Harry was banging on her door. She answered the door and gave him a withering look. "What is it Potter?"

"Professor, I think I know what is attacking students. I know where to start looking. Please, you have got to help me!" His scar flared so strongly he actually cried out in pain. Nonononono.

McGonagall's eyes glazed over for a moment, then lit up in a fury.

"Away with you, Potter! I've put up with enough of your shenanigans to last a lifetime! A child has been taken into the Chamber and is as good as **dead**. Your pranks and jokes have no place in this school, especially now." Steeling her gaze, she looked down at him and straight in the eye. "One more word from you and I will snap your wand myself! Do you understand me?" Harry just nodded. "Good". And she slammed the door in his face.

Walking numbly and aimlessly, Harry was trying to process what had just happened when He suddenly felt something collide with his left eye, knocking him down. Looking up, he saw Ron looking down at him with a crazed look on his face. He had his broken wand out and pointed straight at Harry's heart. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY SISTER?"

Harry's ears were ringing from the punch. He'd definitely have a shiner. Taking a minute to clear his head, Harry tried to calm down his estranged friend. "Ron, what are you talking about?"

"You took my sister into the Chamber of Secrets! Where is she? Tell me, or I will curse you to death!"

"Ron, I swear, I'm not the heir of …" But that was as far as he got. Ron thrust his wand forward and said 'STUPEFY!' The wand lit up briefly, then backfired, throwing Ron across the hall.

Harry got up and walked over to Ron. He was just stunned. Harry took his wand and went looking for a teacher. Any teacher. This time he put on his cloak. He found Gilderoy Lockhart packing his bags.

"Professor, I need you! I think I can find the Chamber of Secrets. You have to go and save Ginny." Harry was desperate. Professor Flitwick was out. Professor Sprout was probably somewhere outside. He even tried Snape and could not find him. Lockhart was his last option. Harry did not know that the teachers were now in a conference trying to decide what to do.

Lockhart just stared at him. "You are on your own Potter, I just quit."

Harry pointed Ron's wand at the man and said, "You will help me. Move!" Lockhart's wand was too far away for him reach, so he just followed Harry's instructions. Harry led him back to Myrtles bathroom.

"Myrtle, tell me about when you saw the Basilisk. What happened?" Harry never took his eye or Ron's wand off Lockhart. Myrtle described the scene. Based on her description, Harry determined which sink was the access point. He was taking Lockhart down into the tunnel and they would save Ginny. He turned to look at the sink and said in Parseltongue, "§ _Open§."_

The sink began to reconfigure itself and opened up a hole in the ground. As Harry was watching, Lockhart grabbed the wand and shoved Harry to the ground. "Ha! Now I will wipe your mind clean and toss you down that hole. How dare you think you could get one over on me! You insolent little brat. 'OBLIVIATE'!"

Ron's broken wand exploded and threw Lockhart back against the wall.

Harry just stared at Lockhart. Lying unconscious. Now it was all on him. So be it. Man up!

"Myrtle, if anyone comes looking for me, tell them I went to the Chamber to save the girl. Tell them Lockhart is a coward and a GIT. I tried every teacher I could think of, but couldn't find anyone but that damn fool. Well, McGonagall too, but she just yelled at me." Getting angry, he added, "If I don't make it back, tell them I said they could all FUCK OFF! I hate this damn school and everybody in it!" With a deep breath, he jumped down the hole and into the darkness below.

Myrtle watched him go. She stared after him for a long time. "Good-bye Harry, I hope you make it. If not, you can stay with me…" She watched as the sink slowly reverted to its original shape, trapping Harry under the school.

—-DoD—-

Harry fought the teenage Tom Riddle and his Basilisk. He managed to kill the Basilisk with the help of Fawkes and a sword. In the process he was bitten by the Basilisk, but was able to use the fang that broke off in his arm to destroy the diary. The Phoenix tears were slowly eliminating the Basilisk poison when Ginny woke up. "Harry…?"

He was a mess. Not only did he have a shiner from Ron, but was he covered in bruises and scrapes. His ribs were burning and his shoulder felt like it had been wrenched badly. The blood of the Basilisk was all over him and the poison felt like fire in his blood. He could feel the Phoenix tears moving through his body as the fire turned to ice. The tears went to the scar last. He could almost feel the scar pulling back. That was one good thing, he supposed. He hated that damn scar.

He slowly rose up and hugged Ginny. She cried for a very long time. He just rubbed her back. So, Tom Riddle is Voldemort. No wonder Dumbledore freaked at the name. "Come on Ginny, let's get out of here." He grabbed the sword and the diary and they headed off.

Retracing his steps, he found a side passage way. Hissing "§ _Open§_ ", a tunnel formed. It was too steep to crawl up. On a whim, Harry said "§ _Stairs§"_. Steps formed and they walked up for a very long time.

—-DoD—-

The next few hours were a blur.

Dumbledore was back. The staff were all together in his office. There were also other people there. Official looking people. The Weasley family was present. Ron and the twins almost attacked him on sight, but Bill and Charlie interceded. Harry was covered in blood and looked like death warmed over. He also had a sword.

Ginny ran around Harry and leapt into her mum's arms. The Weasleys embraced their daughter. Bill noticed Harry, standing alone and watching. His heart broke for the boy. No one was hugging him. He was on the edge of _hating_ everyone. Walking over, Bill put his hand on Harry's shoulder. This young wizard needed him. Making eye contact, he could tell Harry was barely holding it together. Pain and trauma. Possible head injury. Tons of blood. "Come on, Harry. Sit down. Relax. You are safe now."

The story was told. Ginny tearfully confessed all. Harry told about the battle, Bill took the sword explaining how it was now _extremely_ poisonous. When Dumbledore asked him why he didn't get any teachers, Harry glared directly at McGonagall and simply said, "I tried". She just closed her eyes in shame. Everyone picked up on that interchange. Harry then told them about McGonagall turning him away and Lockhart with the broken wand.

Always observant, Bill noticed the way Dumbledore and Snape shared a look at the mention of the Basilisk. He knew how much an ancient and fresh Basilisk corpse was worth. Harry was an orphan and no one was looking out for his interests. Damn, that just pissed him off. Bill gave Charlie a look. Charlie nodded, knowing that he would be backing Bill up. Charlie was built like as tank, tough as nails. Good to have watching your back. Charlie had no idea what Bill was up to, but he would always back up his big brother. Bill leaned over and whispered something in Harry's ear. "Say 'Lucrantur Meum', Harry. Say it **now** while there are so many ministry officials here."

Harry was so exhausted and the injuries were beginning to take their toll. He just blurted out " **LUCRANTUR** **MEUM!** " Everyone grew quiet.

Dumbledore looked over and said, "I'm afraid that won't be possible, Harry. This is school property. The Basilisk will be harvested by Hogwarts for the greater good of the student body."

Harry just shook his head and repeated, " **LUCRANTUR MEUM** "!

Bill looked at Dumbledore and shrugged his shoulders. "It's his kill. He tried to get the staff to help, and was turned away by the **acting headmaster**." McGonagall looked like she wanted to say something, but couldn't think of anything. "The school should be compensated for 15% of the net profit. **NET**."

Snape sneered and added, "The school gets FIRST pick of the organs."

Harry saw what was happening now. Snape was an ass. " **HELL NO!** The school gets 15% of the gold I get for the Basilisk. Nothing more!" He noted that the other occupants of the room seemed to agree. Bill saved his bacon! Harry never would have known Dumbledore planned to harvest the beast. He shot the old man a withering look. Dumbledore knew he screwed up. He actually looked sorry.

Snape became enraged that Harry would challenge him. "How dare you speak that way to your betters?"

Harry has on a roll. He pulled up the sleeve on his left arm and held it up, pointing to his forearm. "Show us your forearm and say you are my ' **better** ' you **FUCKING DEATHEATER."**

That got everyone's attention and the room erupted in angry shouts. Dumbledore tried to silence everyone with a 'SONOROUS' charm, but no one stopped. It just got louder. When Snape leapt up and tried to approach Harry, Bill and Charlie got between Harry and Snape with wands drawn. Harry looked at McGonagall and said, "Thanks for the help, Minerva! Good to see you are looking out for your Lions!" No one corrected him for calling her 'Minerva'.

She just stared numbly. In her mind, she saw James' acidic wit and Lily's god awful temper. What had she done? The child of her two _dearest_ students HATED her.

In the middle of all this chaos, Lucius Malfoy showed up. The scene got even nastier when Harry accused him of slipping the diary to Ginny. Harry then tricked him into giving his sock to Dobby, freeing the poor elf. It was brilliant. Lucius started to pull a wand and curse Harry, but Bill disarmed him. Dobby then blew the pompous ass back 15 feet.

Bill took the diary back to Dumbledore and called attention to Harry's injuries, offering to take him to the hospital wing. McGonagall offered to take him instead, but Harry just said " **HELL NO!"** Snape made a few nasty comment while Bill led Harry out.

As Harry left, he saw McGonagall drop her head into her hands. Her shoulders shaking. Then the door closed. He had no pity for the woman. He wanted her to feel bad. Did that make him a bad person?

Ron just watched and realised something important: Harry was a Bad-Ass Gryffindor. Ron was sorry for his actions, but he knew they'd work it out. Harry is his best mate, after all.

While walking together, Harry looked up at Bill and said, "Thanks, Bill. I've never had an adult stand up for me before." Bill just looked at him. Harry couldn't tell if he was sad or angry.

"Don't worry Harry, it'll all be OK. I'll contact Gringotts and work out the deal for you." They barely made it to the hospital ward before Harry collapsed and was out for 48 hours. According to Madame Pomfrey, Harry was injured a lot worse than anyone realised. Broken ribs, multiple contusions, slight concussion, and bruised from head to toe. His right ankle was badly sprained, and the effects of Basilisk Blood before the Phoenix tears had been administered had wreaked havoc on his internal organs.

As he slept, Harry was back in his childhood home. His mum had taken back almost the whole house. "Hello, Harry. Bet you never thought we would get this much back again." She said with a triumphant smirk. "We will be able to do so much more now."

Harry looked around. He had forgotten so much of the house. "But mum, won't we get pushed back downstairs after we go back to the Dursley's?"

"We will only be there for the summer. The Basilisk blood did a lot of damage to the evil upstairs. The Phoenix tears healed you and me but withheld much of its healing from the 'other'. It has retreated so far, you will even be able to take more of what we do with you when you are awake."

"Awesome mum!" then, thinking about his Basilisk battle and the 'Lucrantur Meum', he added 'What can we do with a seventy foot Basilisk?"

**And that wraps up Year Two.**

**If Harry seemed out of character at the end, let me assure you, teenagers and pre-teens who get pissed on for a year, really let loose when they decide they've had enough.**

**Year three will be the last of the 'Summary Chapters' and Year four will be when everything goes off the rails. I may do a short chapter to wrap up the Basilisk deal and show how the other students act now the Horcrux is dormant and Harry is the hero, not the villain.**

**Lucrantur Meum = Latin loosely translates to 'My Winnings'. Basically, Harry claimed the Basilisk. No doubt Snape wanted the organs for his potions research and Dumbledore wanted gold to help fund the school and scholarships for financially struggling students. But Harry did the work. Seemed wrong to cut him out of the take.**

**Character Profile: McGonagall and the Horcrux**

**Minerva McGonagall = She is affected by the Horcrux in Harry's scar in a major way. When she looks at Harry, she sees James. She knows she let the Marauders get away with far more than she should have. She was horribly biased toward her house. In this story, she feels a tremendous amount of guilt. James ran unchecked and Severus paid the price. She has often wondered if her failure to step in was what caused Severus to become a Deatheater. She frequently treated Harry the way she wished she had treated James when he was at his absolute worst. Even without the Horcrux, she overcompensates and failed to look after Griffindor house for fear of repeating her biases.**


	7. Basilisk Wrap Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter  
> FASA Owns Earthdawn
> 
> This is a mini chapter to settle the Basilisk issue.
> 
> Special thanks to my Beta Reader 'Just William' For helping with this story.

**Summer Time**

**Between Year 2 and 3**

**4 Privet Drive**

Harry got up early so he could begin working in the garden. This summer was not as bad as previous summers. The Dursley's were less horrible to him. Dudley had even told his friends to leave him alone. His bed and furniture had been upgraded and the bars were all removed from the windows in his room. He had been given new gardening gloves and equipment. Apparently, his aunt had won a few awards for her gardening and she wanted to help him more. Harry said he liked doing it alone, it was hard work but relaxing. His aunt took it very well, surprisingly.

Reflecting on the last weeks of school, he was amazed at how surreal it all seemed. He had a few letters of correspondence with Bill regarding the Basilisk. Harry made it clear that he wanted his share of the money set aside where no one could get to it. Not the Dursley's or Dumbledore. Bill said he would have it moved to the primary potter vault. He still had his trust vault until he was old enough to inherit the rest. Harry wondered when that would be. Had there been a will?

He asked Bill to take whatever percent he thought was appropriate for his help. Bill refused, saying it was the least he could do. Harry insisted on 10% for Bill, 10% for Ginny, 10% for Hermione, 10% for Colin, 10% for Penelope, and 10% for Mr. Weasley for the damage to the car. Bill wrote back saying that was excessive. His exact quote was, "Harry, do you have any idea how much money this is worth? You are giving the majority of it away. Let's reduce the percentages to 5% and I don't need anything."

Harry insisted that Bill take 10% and Ginny also take 10% to help pay for therapy. Taking out the 15% to Hogwarts, this still meant Harry was giving away 50%. Bill advised Harry to keep enough of the hide to use in the future as armour. He also told him to keep the heart string, a few teeth, and a few horns in case Harry wanted a spare wand or something. He also had him keep a few vials of the venom. "Because you never know…"

Bill built in the stipulation that Ginny would have to get therapy and the funds would pay for education up through mastery. Harry added that it should pay for any clothes, books, supplies or Quidditch equipment she might need. Bill was amazed at this small orphan's generosity. He stipulated that the 10% Harry was paying him would be an advance on private tutoring and training in any subjects Harry chose and he would provide post graduate training up to mastery in curse breaking, if Harry so chose. Harry loved that idea. Curse breaking seems cool. It used a lot of Charms and Runes. He told Harry the 5% for Mr. Weasley was far more than the price of the car, but Harry just shrugged and said he could spend it however he wanted.

They built in similar stipulations for Hermione, Colin, and Penelope. Basically, it would cover all school needs and equipment through mastery. At eighteen years old, they could claim any unused balance for themselves. He made a special clause with Hermione in mind. They could buy any educational books they saw fit. There. She would go nuts.

Dumbledore had visited Harry, asking for more than the 15%, citing the need for the school. Harry refused to talk to him without Bill being present. Minerva offered to step in and look after his best interests. Harry had less than politely declined, saying "Professor, you have never looked out for my best interests, why would I expect you to start now?" She actually looked like she would cry at that, and excused herself.

Dumbledore told Harry he was disappointed in how he had spoken to his head of house. He further confessed that he didn't blame him for being angry after his treatment this year, but hoped he would give everyone a second chance. Something about bitterness and being a good person. Harry tuned him out and thought about Runes.

The next day, Bill flooed in for the negotiation. Harry and Bill and Dumbledore met. McGonagall was present too, but very quiet. Harry agreed to 35% as Fawkes had saved him. His only stipulation was that he had say in where the money went. After discussing at great length, he chose new brooms to replace the horrible ones that the school provided, upgrades to the green houses for Professor Sprout, more funds to the hospital wing as he had spent so much time there. This still left the majority unclaimed. The four of them decided that the rest should be set up as a scholarship fund for students with limited finances. He suggested they name the scholarship fund after his parents. Harry liked that idea.

Dumbledore asked him what he would do with the remaining 65% and Harry told him he was giving most of it away to the victims. For some reason that seemed to make Dumbledore happy. Twinkly eyes and all. None of his damn business. When he found out Harry was only keeping about 25% of the total, he just about broke into song. The whole process took forever with back and forward adjustments and requested changes. In the end, Harry ended up deferring to Bill for much of the decisions. He only put his foot down a couple of times. No funds to potions. No organs to Snape.

Then school year ended and Harry went back to the Dursley's.

Harry dreamed about practicing magic with his mum and could actually remember much of it. They were practicing magical talents – sort of a pre-programmed wandless magic ability. He has started dreaming in French and kept thinking about a school called Beauxbaton. Strange. He would enjoy the summer. Aunt Marge would be visiting in a little over a month, which would be awful. But, he had a good six weeks to work in the garden, visit the library, read the books Bill sent, and just chill out. Many of the chores were being done at night, Harry suspected magic. Why call attention to it. Could it be Dobby? No, it started before he met Dobby. Weird.

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Office**

Dumbledore reflected on Harry's second year. The boy continued to amaze him, but he was nervous that the damage done this year would have lasting consequences. Albus knew he had handled the Basilisk harvesting poorly. He should have been the one to advise and guide Harry. Instead, William Weasley had stepped in. Albus had planned to donate half the profits to Harry's vault and keep the other half for the good of the school, after Severus harvested key organs of course.

Instead, Harry claimed the Basilisk and Albus protested. And lost. What was shocking was that Minerva had refused to help Harry. No doubt due to the Horcrux's influence, but the animosity Harry now felt for Minerva was so great. Minerva was beyond crushed. Thankfully, the Horcrux appeared to be damaged extensively by the Basilisk venom, so it was dormant. Unfortunately, that meant Minerva was reflecting on her behaviour over the last year and realised how badly she had acted. Likely, others would be doing the same over the summer.

The Basilisk was harvested and Harry shared 35% with the school. He obviously had no idea how much money this was as he gave away a fortune to his friends. William only accepted the money under protest and vowed to be Harry's personal tutor. That was a relationship Dumbledore approved of. Harry needed a solid and stable wizard like William in his life. The fact that the boy only kept 25% of the profit was eye opening. He was not motivated by money and would have given almost all of it away if The eldest Weasley son had not stepped in and discussed moderating the amount.

The mind healing therapy for Miss Weasley was brilliant. Albus was glad William wrote it up where it was a requirement for the scholarship fund. The Weasley's were good people and could use the money. Without the stipulation, they may not have sought help for her other than 'love and affection'. Albus had already lined up her first sessions and they would continue at Hogwarts after the term began. The young lady would not have to worry about school costs ever again. She had asked to have the balance divided up between all her brothers, but Harry initially declined. He was still angry at Ron, Fred, George and Percy. He finally agreed to giving her 5% and letting the remaining 5% be distributed for her brothers educational costs. William wrote it up so it looked kinder than it was. Time would heal wounds. This one would take time and work.

Hermione and Penelope would both be well set for all educational needs. Likely, Hermione would over spend on the book purchases, but 5% of the profit would easily absorb that. Albus hoped Hermione's parents had plenty of room for a new library. They would need it. Colin decided to share his funds with his brother, Dennis, who would be starting in two years' time. Harry had agreed to the last-minute change. The Creevey's could use the assistance. Albus noted that Harry was equally annoyed and protective of Colin. Like Colin was a younger sibling… that made Albus smile.

Young Harry was turning into everything Albus could hope for. Moral, courageous, generous, and quite talented. The only element that worried him was his growing disdain for the other students and a few teachers. The Horcrux has isolated Harry from so many good people. Harry had understandably severed so many ties this year, but a few new ones emerged. William Weasley predominantly. Perhaps something good could come of all this. The wards would be fully charged by Harry's Birthday. A plan began forming in Albus' head. Harry could be sent to Egypt to work with William in the field. He seemed to like the idea of being a curse breaker. If Albus could coordinate the trip, perhaps Harry would be more favourably inclined to him and the school. In the process, Harry might very well grow closer to the Weasley family. Fences to mend. Now, how to get Minerva back in his good graces…

**-DoD-**

**The Burrow**

Arthur Weasley sat in front of the fire considering the past year. His daughter had been possessed by a cursed diary. She had endured more than any witch should have to, let alone an 11 year old girl. His little Spitfire was the pride of the family. Beautiful, smart, athletic, and morally strong. This could have brought ruin on them all. Thankfully, young Harry Potter saved the day. The same young man his four younger sons were so eager to pummel.

He would never forget seeing his beautiful daughter with that battered little boy. Covered in blood and carrying a sword. Apparently, a sword that could now kill a giant with a simple nick! That young boy was a fighter. The way he called out Snape and Malfoy was inspirational. Thank god Bill and Charlie stepped in before his other sons embarrassed the family beyond measure. It was hard to imagine, his boys had turned on Harry over little more than rumours and speculation. Yet, when his daughter was taken, he still risked life and limb to save his youngest. With no familial alliance or hope for reward. That was a life debt that would have to be paid. Somehow.

Now, it turned out the young man insisted on sharing his wealth. Paying for mind healing for Ginny and covering the educational costs of his children. Add into that he donated a large sum of money to pay for the Ford Anglia. The car **_Ronald_** drove and lost. It just made no sense. Harry's father, James, was brave and heroic. But he was not generous or selfless. Lily was selfless, but terrifying with her temper. She could hold a grudge like no witch Arthur had ever seen. Somehow this boy was the best of both. He just hoped Harry's wouldn't hold a grudge the way Lily would have.

Arthur knew Harry's home life had to be bad. Bars on the window, an uncle who tried to pull him out of a car fifteen feet up in the air... Yet he was so selfless. Somehow, Harry already knew Bill. There was real trust there. Both ways. Bill treated Harry like a younger brother. Maybe even an adopted son. It was touching, watching Bill care for Harry. But Arthur knew he needed to step in. It was not fair to lay fatherhood on Bills shoulders. He is too young to be a surrogate father. Surrogate big brother, yes. The fatherly role should be on someone else. Arthur vowed that from this point forward, he would always stand up for Harry Potter. Not as a friend of his son, but as a surrogate son as well.

**I hope you all enjoyed this little intermission.**

**Next up: Year Three**


	8. Chapter 8

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**This chapter and the next will focus on Harry gaining in power and beginning to use what he has learned from his Mothers incarnation. The dormant Horcrux, severely damaged by the Basilisk venom, can't stop the knowledge transfer.**

**Special thanks to my Beta reader 'Just William' for helping with the story.**

**The Best Summer Ever**

-DoD-

July 14, 1993

4 Privet Drive

Harry was out working in the front flower garden when he saw two people walking up the pathway to the front door. He almost did not recognise Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore in muggle clothing. To say he was suspicious would be an understatement. He didn't dislike either of them, but he definitely did not trust them. He rose up and took off his gloves, just in case he needed to hold anything.

Dumbledore broke the ice, "Hello Harry, your roses look amazing. I see professor Sprout has been teaching you well." He had that little twinkle in his eye. Hard to be drawn in by someone who tried to steal his Basilisk from him.

"Yes, sir. I mostly just keep the soil tilled. I've found I can use a bit of wandless magic to really get them going. The plants are… good to me. I trust them."

Minerva straightened at that. Didn't he know magic outside of school was illegal? She pressed the point. "Having a nice garden is all well and good, Mr. Potter, but magic cannot be practiced outside the school until you are of age…" Then she realised, he had said 'wandless magic'. What did that mean? Was it even possible? And how could you trust a plant? Didn't he have anyone else he trusted? A multitude of thoughts were running through Minerva's head.

His eyes flashed in anger at his transfiguration professor. "I've been doing it as long as I can remember and no one ever got upset. I have no intention of stopping." Shaking his head and getting cranked up, he looked her in the eye defiantly and said, "What I do in my garden is my own business! Why are you here?" Harry had not intended to tell them as much, but working in the gardens always calmed and relaxed him. He was madder at himself for slipping up than at his teacher.

Minerva recoiled a bit, his words stung and she had to remember that she was here to MEND the relationship. Not drive him further away. She noticed the roses seemed to shift toward him ever so slightly. The wind, maybe?

Dumbledore stepped in and diffused the situation. "Now, now Harry, all is well. It will be our little secret. Before you get too upset, we have a wonderful opportunity for you. Minerva?"

McGonagall hesitantly spoke up and addressed the angry young man, "Mr. Potter, you have had very impressive scores in class and seem to excel at many things. Your knowledge of Runes makes you especially suited for an opportunity involving a little extracurricular work. Can we go inside and discuss it with you and your guardians?"

Harry took a deep breath and said, "I don't think so, professor. I have a lot to do this summer. Bill has sent me a number of books and I plan to learn everything in them. Thank you for your time and consideration." With a slight nod, he slowly turned and began his gardening again.

McGonagall looked at Dumbledore sadly. This did not go the way she had hoped. The young man had just dismissed her as if she was an annoying sales person.

Dumbledore just smiled, looking at Harry he said, "Professor McGonagall has worked very hard to arrange to send you to Egypt so you could work with William. If you could find a way to work this into your busy summer, that is." Eyes twinkling. The gentle rebuff Harry had given them stung him as well as his assistant headmaster. Hopefully this would fix things.

Harry slowly turned around. The look of pure longing and desperation was simply heart breaking. "Go see Bill? In Egypt? Yes, I'd like that." After a moment he added, "Thank you!"

Minerva noted that his eyes were actually tearing up a little. How bad was his home life if he was this desperate to get away? How bad was her relationship with him, if he initially was willing to reject her out of hand? She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. Noticing he flinched a little, her concern was suddenly more than just rebuilding a relationship. "Yes, Mr. Potter. I'm sure we can work things out. On a more personal note, I made… mistakes last year and I hope we can start over. I'm afraid I am suffering from a terminal condition called 'being human'."

-DoD-

Minerva McGonagall's POV

Forty five minutes later, they left the house. Minerva was livid at how Harry was treated by his guardians. No wonder he was so… withdrawn and had difficulty trusting. But he still had fight in him. A true Gryffindor. They called him a 'Freak' and had treated him horribly. Harry just smiled and went along with it. The Dursley's made it clear they were not paying for the trip, and hearing that it was already paid for only seemed to make them angrier. But, in the end, they agreed. Likely just to get the professors out of their house, Minerva realised.

Harry would travel with the Weasley's to visit Bill. Arthur would collect him and his trunk. Once there, he would be a part of a youth curse-breaker program at Gringotts. In truth, there was no such program. Bill was funding it from the Basilisk money Harry forced him to take.

As his head of house, Minerva made a show of approving Harry for the program and expressing how proud she was. She had three requirements for signing off:

Harry to send weekly updates to her so she could monitor his progress.

Harry had to keep a journal detailing all he learned. She added this to reinforce the need to take good notes.

Finally, Harry had to give a presentation on his time in Egypt to his year once school started back in September. That seemed to scare him a little, but public speaking for a future Lord Potter could only help him.

Harry agreed to all the requirements and actually thanked her. When she presented him with the note from William, he nearly jumped up and down with excitement. She remembered how Bill always looked after students that were in need of aid. How he always stood up for the children who needed help. That was one of the traits that made her push for his becoming Head Boy. Obviously, he had taken Harry under his wing. It was a wonder William wasn't a Hufflepuff.

-DoD-

The Burrow

July 22nd

Arthur walked Harry up the path to the Burrow. He thought he would use this time to talk to the young wizard. Man to man.

"So, Harry. I can't tell you how glad we are to have you accompany us to Egypt. Such an honour to be in the youth curse breaker program. It's nice to see your hard work rewarded."

Harry was a bit surprised. He was not used to praise from adults. At least not like this. Personal. "Thank you, Mr. Weasley. Bill is the best wizard I've ever met. Did you know he chose me to be his Jr. Apprentice?" Harry still couldn't believe it. He had carried that letter everywhere with him. Harry continued on as they walked. Talking about how excited he was.

Arthur just listened patiently. Trying to imagine how this sweet and energetic young boy had faced down a thousand-year-old Basilisk with a sword. And won. He knew he needed to bridge an unfortunate topic before they got to the Burrow. As soon as there was a pause, he dove in. Now or never.

"Harry, I want to talk to you about the unfortunate way some members of my family treated you." At that, he saw Harry slump and slow down. It must have been really bad. "As the head of the Weasley family, I formally apologise for their terrible behaviour. Words cannot express both my sincere gratitude for what you did for my daughter and my deep shame at the way my four youngest boys treated you. I also am immensely proud of my oldest sons for standing beside you. Especially Bill. You have a friend for life in Bill, you know."

Harry considered what Arthur had said. "It's alright, Mr. Weasley. Maybe we can start again." Harry knew his scar had driven much of the problem, but he still was bitter over it all.

"To start again would be nice Harry, but there will still be a formal apology from my boys. And, I'd like you to call me Arthur. I knew both of your parents. Not as well as some, but well enough that I want to help you when you need help. With your permission, I'd like to be listed as your contact person in case you need me at school."

Harry just looked at him. He had a confused look on his face. Why would anyone want him? And Mr. Weasley just kept that kind smile on his face. No wonder Bill is such a nice guy. His dad is too.

Misreading the look, Arthur said, "A contact person would be there in case you were injured or needed someone to advocate on your behalf. I'd be honoured if you would like me to be that person. I hope you will consider it..."

"Yes!" Harry was stunned, but not so stunned he could not say that one word. "I'd like that Mr. Weasley. Can I call you Arthur when I am of age, it seems wrong to do it now."

"I'd like that, Harry. Now, Molly is cooking up a large meal in your honour. We heard a rumour that you like treacle tart… let me tell you, Molly makes the best treacle tart I have ever tasted!" After that, Harry and Arthur both double timed it to the Burrow.

Once they arrived, Molly and Ginny came over and greeted him. Molly pulled him into a big hug and Ginny just smiled and blushed a bright red. But she made some eye contact. Progress. The boys were a bit sheepish around him. Ron apologised first. He detailed out what he did that was wrong and asked to be friends again. He was sincere. Harry accepted the apology and agreed to start again. He was still a bit hurt, but time would tell.

The twins did much the same. Harry remembered how nice they were in his first year. Much like Ron, they were sincere and he let it go. Secretly, he was still angry, but Mr. Weasley and Bill were so good to him. And Molly and Ginny had made him a nice meal… no one had ever done that before. Percy was a prat; Harry just gave a nod when he half-heartedly apologised. What on earth did Penelope see in him?

Dinner was phenomenal. The food was just so comforting. Roast chicken, potatoes, Vegetables from the garden… Harry was stuffed. He sat beside Ginny and talked Quidditch all night. She even talked back a couple of times. Ron tried to edge in, but Harry kept most of his focus on his sister. She actually knew a lot when she wasn't busy being too shy to talk. Eventually, he included Ron. Mending those fences would take time. A lot of time.

That night, Harry bunked up with Ron. Mrs. Weasley came to help him unpack and plan his wardrobe for Egypt. She was shocked at how few clothes Harry actually had. "Harry, dear, are these all your clothes?"

"Yes, ma'am. I don't really have a lot of casual clothes outside of my school uniforms."

"Well, let's just get you fixed up tomorrow. We can go to Diagon Alley and pick up some clothes appropriate for Egypt. You could use a new set of clothes for third year as well."

Ron just looked away, terrified he would have to go shopping.

Harry didn't mind. He was not used to people helping him shop for clothes. "OK"

"Good, we'll leave first thing in the morning. Ginny has an appointment and we can shop while she is at the doctor's. I don't know the book list yet, but we can pick up new clothes for Egypt and for school." She then just smiled at Harry. He liked the Weasleys. If being with them meant he had to forgive Ron, then so be it.

After Mrs. Weasley left, Harry and Ron awkwardly talked Quidditch. By the time they settled in for sleep, it was less awkward. Harry calmed himself, cleared his mind, and began his occlumency. At school, he had curtains on the bed for privacy, here at the Burrow, Ron was able to see Harry go through his occlumency exercises. He decided Harry was praying or something and left him be.

Harry mentally put his experiences in his imaginary book. Recollecting as many details as he could, as he drifted off, he put the book in his personal library. Soon he was in his vault with his mum. He shared his day with them. They practiced a little magic, but mostly just talked about the Weasley family and the importance of forgiveness. Lily admitted that she always struggled with forgiving those who had wronged her. She hoped Harry could succeed where she often failed. It was a nice and quiet night.

-DoD-

The Next Morning

Diagon Alley

7:45 AM

Harry, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley arrive in Diagon Alley. Ginny seemed embarrassed about having Harry there. Harry already knew that this was a mind healing session she was going to. Mrs. Weasley had let it slip that it was a four hour session since they would be away for so long. Ginny turned red, burst into tears, and ran into her room. She apparently did not want Harry to know. They were almost late for the appointment.

Harry really didn't want her to be embarrassed. "Hey Gin, I think it is great you are doing this. It shows a lot of courage."

"Do you really think that, Harry?" She was looking like she was about to cry.

"Well, yeah. If you had a damaged leg or damaged eyes, you would have to see a healer for that. This is no different really." Seeing Ginny become embarrassed, he changed the subject "Maybe when you get out, we can go look at the new brooms at Quality Quidditch Supplies. You definitely know the game. I don't know if you remember, but I left the team last year when they turned on me. I might give them another chance. I can't stand Alicia. Angelina's not much better. Katie and Oliver are OK, I guess."

And they talked Quidditch right up until the appointment. It started out with Harry doing most of the talking, but she slowly opened up. Ginny was a Holyhead Harpies fan and hated the Canons. Harry favoured the Tornados and Puddlemere United. Molly quietly listened to it all while pretending to be preoccupied and was touched. Harry was everything Bill had said he was. Such a gentle little fellow. How on earth had he managed to kill a Basilisk with a sword? He looked like a strong wind could blow him over.

After dropping Ginny off, they went to Gringotts to make a withdrawal from Harry's trust vault. Molly had assured him that she could afford to buy him clothes, but Harry said he had birthday gifts to buy as well and he wanted pocket change for Egypt.

Apparently, while they were waiting in line, one of the managers spotted Harry and took them to a VIP line. They were then led to a back room where they were greeted by Director Ragnok and one of his assistants. "Mr. Potter, so good to see you again. How can Gringotts be of service to you?"

"Well, sir, I just need to get some money for my trip to Egypt. I was accepted into your Junior Curse Breaker program and I need to be prepared. We leave tomorrow." Harry's eyes were alight with excitement as he handed Director Ragnok the letter Bill had sent him.

Director Ragnok looked over the letter with great interest. Then, looking up, he proclaimed, "Congratulations Mr. Potter. Welcome to the Gringotts family! We will of course be assisting you and your care giver today in all aspects of your preparation. My assistant will escort you to your vaults while I prepare equipment collection for our newest curse breaker."

Once they had returned from the vault, Harry was taken aside and measured by an official Gringotts tailor. He was informed that he needed to wear appropriate attire to all Gringotts Curse Breaker ceremonies. This attire consisted of a double breasted three piece suit, a gold neck tie, a white spread collar shirt with French Cuffs. The neck tie was always to be tied in a full Windsor knot. The shirt was always to have gold cuff links to match the tie and the cuff links should have either the Potter crest, the Gringotts crest, or a combination of both. The shoes were to always be black cap toes. The buttons on the blazer would designate his department by crest (in this case, the Curse Breaker Department) and the rank by colour (Brass for Initiate and Novice. Journeymen wore Silver, Wardens wore silver with gold in the top buttons on the front and the last button on the cuffs of the sport coat, and Masters wore all gold with Platinum on the top abreast buttons and last cuff buttons. Similarly, the tie tac would have the Curse Breaker crest with a background of either brass, silver, gold, or platinum. Harry ate it up with pride.

He was given a set of curse breaker training manuals approved and signed by Ragnok himself. Also given was a curse breaker knife (similar to a swiss army knife), a kukri knife, an official Gringotts dragon hide apron, a set of dragon hide gloves, and a pair of all-weather boots, a poncho, a charmed ten gallon canteen that looked and felt like it held a third of a gallon, a charmed back pack, a tent, a sleeping bag, and an all-weather hat with the Gringotts logo on the front. Harry and Mrs. Weasley were to come back by and pick them up after they shopped for their casual clothes. Harry thanked Director Ragnok again as they departed. They would return in two hours' time to pick up the supplies.

Mrs. Weasley bought him a new set of tan robes, charmed to stay cool in the heat. She also purchased various shirts and socks designed for the heat of summer. A second pair of sand repelling boots and a desert hat as well. Harry was now ready for Egypt. After getting an upgrade on standard school robes, Harry purchased a new set of 'top of the line' Quidditch gloves and very nice set of protective Quidditch gear for Ginny's Birthday, a book on rare plants and herbs for Neville's birthday, and a book on wizarding history focused North and South American indigenous tribes for Hermione. That was, hopefully, a book she had not read. Anticipating playing again, he got a new set of seeker gloves for himself and some broom wax for his Nimbus 2000.

After Ginny finished her session, they met up and went and admired the new Firebolt while Mrs. Weasley talked to the mind healer. Harry still was happy with his Nimbus 2000. Harry secretly took pleasure in the fact that Draco would no longer have the newest model. On a whim, Harry picked up an official Gwenog Jones Holyhead Harpies Jersey for Ginny. She immediately put it on. Mrs. Weasley seemed a bit put out over the gift, but it was already paid for and they had to get back to Gringotts.

Re-entering Gringotts, the three of them were taken to a ceremony room where Harry was presented with the equipment and the clothes. The Daily Prophet was there taking pictures. Harry made sure to have Ginny in a few of the photos with him, but it was mostly Harry and Ragnok. As part of the ceremony, Harry cut his hand with the kukri knife and christened it with a name. He chose 'Explanation'. Director Ragnok asked him about the choice and Harry just said, "Sometimes words are not explanation enough. That's when you need something like this to get the 'point' across." Harry was thinking about Lucius Malfoy when he said it and the look on his face was clear. Ragnok loved it. Subtle, and yet, very threatening.

They left Gringotts later than expected. Arriving at the Burrow close to three in the afternoon. Harry showed the others his new knife. All were very impressed. Percy especially liked the workmanship. Arthur took Harry into the back yard along with the other boys and explained to them the importance of safe handling when it came to 'bladed instruments'. He was a dad with a capital "D". Mr. Weasley also had Harry try on his new Gringotts suit and Molly took pictures while the twins made fun. Finally, he changed into his casual clothes and helped prepare dinner with Ginny and Ron.

The rest of the night was spent in chaos and confusion that only the Weasley family can create or exist in. Charlie arrived just before dinner and greeted Harry with a huge bear hug. Dinner was twice as loud as last night and Ginny was still wearing her jersey. They had Shepherd's Pie and pumpkin juice. Harry was stuffed beyond reason when he got up and went to get ready for bed. He was excited to be seeing Bill the next day.

-DoD-

Egypt

Portkey Arrival Point

The Next Morning

The family arrived in Egypt with Harry via international portkey. Harry was flung across the room and the twins laughed outright. Ginny glared at them. Harry staggered to his feet. Taking in the surroundings, he saw Bill and went over to him. Bill gave him a hug and laughed out loud.

"Great to see you, Harry! Gotta work on those landings little bro. looks like mum has fattened you up!" Not true. Harry was still lean.

"Great to see you too! I can't wait to see everything! I read all the books you sent me and I am READY for the program. This is going to be GREAT. I have to write McGonagall every…" The twins dragged him off as Harry was talking non-stop. They had never seen Harry so happy. He tended to be a brooder.

"Hold that thought, Harry! We'll de-brief over lunch. I have a spot saved just for you!" Bill could see how much Harry wanted to impress him. It was touching. He hugged his mum and dad, wrestled a bit with Charlie 'the tank', shook hands with Percy, ruffled the twins, hugged Ron, loved Ginny up as only a big brother can, then pulled Harry in and threw him over his shoulder for the tour.

Ragnok had called him while Harry was at his vault wanting details on this 'Fictional Junior Curse Breaker Program' that he was giving away. Bill had to tap dance a little, but in the end, he said his family owed a life debt to Harry and he personally liked and was impressed with the young wizard. He said he intended to apprentice Harry when he was old enough and that the boy knew more about runes than most novice curse breakers.

Hearing this, Director Ragnok decided to make a show of it. Bill suspected he just wanted to rub the Ministry's face in the fact that their favourite celebrity was now being accepted at into a Gringotts program. Bill also knew that Charlus Potter was one of the 'all-time greats' in the curse breaking world. Now his already famous grandson was signing on as well. Ragnok made sure to be in plenty of pictures with him. If Harry was even half the curse breaker his grandfather was, all those pictures would be famous for centuries. Of course, Ginny was also in a lot of the pictures, Bill realised with a chuckle.

Setting Harry down outside the first tent, "OK, junior curse breaker, here is the tent you will share with Ron and Charlie. Settle in, but don't plan to relax." He handed Harry a book and a Rune carving set. Ragnok had asked Bill give it to him. It was a basic kit, but of the highest quality. "This is the official Junior Curse Breaker Rune carving kit and a book on different techniques. Carving Runes can be tricky business. You are going to be very busy young man." Harry just beamed. "Alright, I'm going to show the others to their tents, you guys just unpack and settle in. We'll meet up in a few hours for lunch." Charlie tossed his bags and stayed with Bill. Ron and Harry settled in and called 'dibs' on the cots they wanted.

Bill dropped off the twins and Percy at the next tent. He knew Percy would keep the twins in line. Well, maybe not completely in line, but to a reasonable level. Then he walked with his parents and Ginny. Ginny started talking about Harry. She talked about how 'Harry said going to a mind healer was no different than if you break a leg or an arm' and how 'Harry had said she was brave and how a lot of people are too scared to get help when something bad happens' and how 'Harry doesn't really like the Quidditch team cause they were so mean to him, but he plans to try out again' and 'Harry gave me a Gwenog Jones Jersey'. Bill seemed to take all this in stride. Right up until she said, "I am definitely making the team this year." Oh Boy. Here it comes.

Molly stopped and looked at Ginny. "Well, you are a little young to try out for Quidditch. It can be dangerous…" Arthur made eye contact with Molly and shook his head a little. Picking up his cue she said, "Give it your best shot Ginny, we believe in you." Bill never wanted to move back in with his parents, but right now, he was glad to have them here with him.

Watching them 'adopt' Harry into the family was nice. His dad especially seemed to have bonded with Harry. And Ginny of course. Thank goodness the youngest Weasley listened to Harry. She had resisted the idea of seeing a mind healer, terrified that people would find out. Now that Harry praised her for being courageous, she actually seemed proud. Bill and Charlie exchanged a knowing look with each other. Ginny's crush had only grown. At least she seemed more confident.

Ron and Harry settled in. Ron was digging out his chess board and hunting down all the pieces that had spilled in his bag. "Mate, I am so going to get you a new trunk for your birthday." Harry said as he watched Ron prep the board while thumbing through his Rune carving book. They would have fun this month. Charlie was a legendary Gryffindor seeker and had a very cool job. Runes, curse breaking, Quidditch talk, and chess. Let the fun begin.

"No way, Harry. I want something cooler than a trunk. Either Cool or Edible. No clothes or furniture. Trunks are what you give old ladies." Finding his last piece, Ron looked up triumphantly, then laughed saying, "Hey, did you see Percy's face when Bill dropped him off with the twins? HA! I almost split my side trying not to laugh!" Harry was also glad to be away from Percy, and the twins could get old after a while. Harry suspected this vacation would be anything but restful for Percy. Serves the pompous prat right. Best summer ever.

-DoD-

Charlie and Bill went back to Bills tent to chat. Once they sat down, Bill cast a privacy charm. "So, Charlie, you're probably wondering why I put you in with Harry and Ron instead of hanging in here with me, like old times at the Burrow."

"Well, now that you mention it… yeah. I mean I get along fine with them, I guess you think they need a chaperone? What's the matter Bill, worried Harry might sneak out and put the moves on little Gin-gin?" Charlie was obviously teasing Bill, but he knew Harry didn't have it in him. At least not at twelve, going on thirteen.

Bill snickered. He and Charlie went juvenile the minute they were together. "Hardly! More scared she'd sneak in and take advantage of HIM." There was a little truth in that. Then he got serious. "I want you to keep an eye out for Harry. Ron can be insensitive. He's a good kid, but I don't want him beating Harry down."

"Bill, are you kidding me? That kid took on a massive Basilisk with a sword. He called Snape a Death Eater TO HIS FACE. Then he publicly put the shame on old Minnie and Dumbles. Didn't you hear him call her 'Minerva' in an accusatory and disrespectful way? You know, just a little while before he made her break down in tears! What makes you think Ron has any ability to 'beat him down'?"

Pausing a minute to get Charlies full attention, Bill calmly replied, "Charlie, what I'm about to tell you goes no further. I shared it with Dad, but that's it. I think Harry is an abused or neglected child. Maybe both. I just get that vibe. He stands up to bullies all day, but he has no power against his friends."

Charlie stared at Bill in both shock and amazement. "If that's true… we need to do something." Seeing the resolve on Bills face, he adds, "You really care about him. I can see it, Bill. This is more than your "Helping People" thing. You treat him the way you treat Ginny."

"I helped him shop when he bought his things for first year. He only had Hagrid. No other adults. And the clothes he was wearing were… well, let's just say… extremely broken in. And nowhere near a good fit. He had some pretty good bruising too. And the way he sometimes flinches when you go to touch him. Did you know last August the twins and Ron went and got him and there were bars on his windows?" Bill just shook his head.

Pressing further, Bill added, "You know I saw Snape and Dumbles exchange a look when Harry told his story about the Chamber. They were going to steal that Basilisk from him. An abused and neglected orphan, with no one in his corner, and they saw an easy 'mark'. Let me tell you Charlie, when Ginny came out from behind him and we all took her into a family hug, I looked back at Harry. My heart broke in about a thousand pieces." Bill actually got choked up at that.

"I saw it too, Bill. I followed your gaze. The loneliness and longing… He's a good kid. But, Bill, he's not really your responsibility. Help him, but don't go turning into Dad or anything." At that they both laughed.

"Nah, I've already decided, he IS my responsibility. I'm going to be there for him. Dad will too. We've already discussed it. Between us, we've got the 'big brother' and 'surrogate dad' area covered. I still need you to help me though."

"How so, Bill?"

"I've noted a trend… I suspect You-Know-Who might have put some kind of 'animosity curse' on him. I'm telling you because you might feel it and I don't want you to react to it. Believe me, I felt it once while helping him shop. Let me tell you, it is STRONG. Ignore it, resist it, and it moves on. It's almost sentient in the way it picks and chooses its targets."

At that, Charlie looked scared. "Bill, if you're right, you need to tell someone. He needs to get help."

"Hell, no. Dumbles knows. I'm sure of it. I saw the way he watched and reacted to Harry's outburst. Or should I say, didn't react. He was not sure if that was Harry or some part of the curse. He looked afraid, if you want my honest opinion. And if the curse is deep enough, given who must have cursed him… Well, you know how fickle our world can be. They'd turn on him in a minute." Charlie just nodded sadly.

Taking a moment, Bill added, "You've seen how much he has helped Ginny. Hell, the whole family has benefitted. And it's not like they were nice to him. If we hadn't been there at Hogwarts, our brothers would have attacked a twelve year old boy who was severely injured and barely conscious. And had a sword covered in Basilisk venom." The twitch of his head told Charlie how bad things could have gone.

"Charlie, I'm going to use this time to rebuild his confidence. I'll also study him. See what can be done. Honestly, that negative vibe seems so much fainter than before. I can't even feel it. I think the encounter with the Basilisk may have severely weakened or destroyed it."

"So, what am I doing? You know I always have you back Big Bro, I just need a little direction here."

"Just watch and wait. I'd do it, but if I'm around it too much, it is harder for me to identify it. I need you there in case it flares up. You'll know because you'll suddenly feel really bad or want to hate him or something. I suspect different people will react differently. I heard just enough about last year to pick that out."

"Oh, and don't let Ron be a lazy GIT with him. Harry is brilliant and I don't want him taking 'Divination' and 'Care of Magical Creatures' because Ron wants to slack off. Talk sense into them and come get me. Ron should take Runes even if he can't handle Arithmancy. Harry should be taking both. And he should be at least at the fifth year level. Hell, he could probably take his NEWTs from what I have seen."

"Oi, nothing wrong with Care of Magical Creatures!"

They both just laughed. This was an ongoing joke between them. Charlie soon picked up and went to check on the boys.

Right after lunch, a Daily Prophet photographer took a picture of the Weasleys and Harry for an article on Arthur Weasley winning a draw and travelling with the proceeds. Harry proudly wore his Kukri knife and Gringotts hat.

-DoD-

Harry spent the next six days studying the texts that Ragnok had given him. When he wasn't reading, Harry was practicing from the Rune carving set. When he wasn't doing that, he was shadowing Bill. Even the goblins at camp were impressed. Everyone was actually impressed, except one person. Ronald Weasley.

It all came to a head one night. As the boys were settling down, Harry agreed to play a 'mercy game' of chess with Ron. Ron got frustrated when Harry missed what he thought was an obvious move. Ron correctly assumed Harry was thinking about runes and curse breaking.

"Mate, this is our summer to goof off, stop with all the studying! Seriously, you're acting like Percy. It's not like you really need this anyway. Your family has plenty of money and you've got the skills to play Quidditch professionally. Why do you want to learn all this stuff with Runes and Arithmancy? You're ruining the summer!"

Harry just stopped and stared. He very calmly said, "Ron, curse breaking is something I really like. It makes me feel amazing. And I do like runes and arithmancy. They're a challenge." Then pointing out the one thing Ron would understand, "Just like chess is to you." Harry felt the slight pull on his scar again. The two months at the Dursley's, with blood wards siphoning off his defences, had let it regain a little strength.

"No, Harry! Chess is fun and challenging. Runes are for nerds and Arithmancy is even worse! Do you really want everyone to think of you like that? To have no friends? You're only doing this to impress Bill because he's so cool! News flash, Potter, He's not your brother!"

Charlie heard this and was stunned. "Oi! Runes ARE cool Ron. And Arithmancy is a lot like chess. Maybe if you would crack a book once in a while you'd see that!" As his anger calmed, he took in the scene. Harry looked crushed. Ron looked confused. Then he felt it. Like a slight brush of negative pressure. Charlie had stood his ground against dragons, he could weather this… but how do you resist something as hard to grasp as smoke? And just like Bill said, after a few minutes it faded away and moved on. If Bill hadn't warned him, he would not have even noticed. He probably would have lashed out.

Ron, realising what he had said and seeing Harry looking so crushed, "Harry, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Look, Runes and Arithmancy are OK. Just make time for fun too. You know, tomorrow is your birthday. Blow out the candles, eat some of mum's cake, just goof off and have fun. Then I'll even quiz you on the runes. We'll make a game out of it. Bill used to do that with Percy."

"Yeah, OK, Ron. I think we're just tired." Harry decided to clear his mind and end the night with his occlumency. He wanted to dream about what he had read. In his dreams, he and his mum practiced all night. Even his mum was learning about curse breaking. She saw everything he saw and read. He didn't tell Ron, but he was almost done with the first book Ragnok had given him. Study guide for a beginning journeyman. This was beyond even NEWT level stuff. And for once, he was studying concepts that didn't have that 'Deja vu' feel to it.

Charlie took a minute to make notes for Bill. He barely slept that night. That was pretty messed up. Charlie didn't really think he could be a 'big brother' like Bill, but he could be a friend to the little fellow. He definitely would make sure Ron straightened out. That conversation really was a mess. Not just that 'animosity curse' Bill talked about, but also Ron's laziness. He'd have to talk to Mum and Dad about that or Ron would be the next driver of the Knight Bus.

-DoD-

The Birthday Party

Egypt

July 31

The morning was busy. Harry got up at 6AM grabbed a quick bite and went to find Bill. He found Bill enjoying a cup of coffee and they discussed a tomb that had been found. Bill tasked Harry with carving a set of Runes that would be used to diffuse a curse Bill had expected to be in place. Bill gave him the sandstone and Harry went to work. Four hours later, Harry had twelve distinct Runic tiles that could be used on several curses. Bill asked him why he had used twelve instead of the standard eight and Harry explained that the additional four would allow him to more specifically target three different types of curses, making the sequence less generic and slightly more powerful. Bill was impressed. He did not tell Harry that the three additional options were never used in ancient Egypt, but he liked that Harry went the extra mile.

The carvings had a few rough spots, but that would disappear with practice and callouses. He showed the flaws to Harry and pointed out how all but one tile was probably serviceable with minor adjustments. He then showed Harry how he could hold the carving tools to minimise the slippages that had caused the imperfections. In the end, only the one tile had to be re-carved from scratch. "Nice job on your first attempt. Very nice, actually." Bill said when he noted Harry looked a little down. "I had to re-do about a third of my first attempt. One out of twelve is Journeyman level quality, you should be proud, Harry. I just need to train you to spot the imperfections. Keep the one that you are having to re-carve. It always helps to reference what didn't work as well as what did." All smiles.

The birthday celebration started at noon. Harry was given sweets from Ginny, a broom polishing kit from Percy, plenty of Zonko's products from the twins, and a historical guide to the Chudley Canons from Ron. Mrs. Weasley gave him a pair of shirts that were summer weight and perfect for the heat. Mr. Weasley gave him a very nice shoe polish kit for his new Gringotts uniform as well as a new wallet designed for the inner chest pocket of his suit coat. Charlie gave him a dragon hide wand holster for his forearm, allowing for 'quick draw' with a practiced flick of the wrist. Neville had sent a book on different types of trees in Scotland and Hermione had sent a Leather bound journal for him to record his activities as a junior curse breaker. That would get a LOT of use this summer. Finally, Bill handed him a large Book.

"Here is the next book I need you to start reading." Bill handed Harry a thick tome. It was well used and weathered. The title read: 'Curse Breaking, A Study Guide'. "This is the book you will need to know inside and out to move beyond a journeyman curse breaker. It will take you through Warden and all the way to Master Curse Breaker. Many books have been written, but this is the best all-around general purpose book on curse breaking. And… ward setting too" Bill added with a smirk. "Take good care of it, it was my book and my uncle Fabian's before me. One day, you'll pass it down to your own student."

Harry beamed with pride and proudly proclaimed, "I won't let you down." Harry felt a slight tug on his scar. He didn't see Ron turning red. Fred and George did the same. Bill noticed. He also sensed the subtle shift. He also that Harry flinched a bit, like he had a sudden spike of pain. And a sudden worry crossed his young face. Interesting. A big part of recognising curses was knowing when they are present. So if he didn't feel the shift, he'd look for Harry's reaction. He has a 'tell'. Bill really did not want his brothers to be jealous of Harry. So, he decided to give away the final surprise and neutralise the animosity building up.

Bill cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Oh, one other thing. This book was a gift to my uncle Fabian from a world renowned curse breaker. One of the greatest to ever live. The same master curse breaker that Uncle Fabian apprenticed under." Now everyone was listening intently. Molly seemed to be unhappy Bill was giving this family heirloom away. That would change. "Open the book up and look at the first page. Read the original owner, Harry."

Harry opened it read out loud "This Book is presented to Charlus Potter, from his adoring wife, Dorea Potter néé Black." His eyes grew large. This was his grandfather's book. Given to him by his wife, Harry's grandmother. Passed down to Bills uncle, then to Bill, and now to him. This was an amazing gift. He felt his scar recede under the positive emotions he was feeling. He also felt hands patting him on the back and congratulating him. He couldn't see much given that his eyes were teared up.

"Thank you, Bill. This is amazing."

After the party, one of the other new curse breakers approached Harry. He looked like he was in his late teens or early twenties.

"Mr. Potter, congratulations on being the first Junior Curse Breaker in Gringotts History. And on turning twelve." The young man smiled and gave a slight tilt of his head.

"Thank you. I'm actually thirteen. I did not know I was the first. It's an honour." Extending his hand, Harry formally introduced himself. "Harry Potter."

"A pleasure, Mr. Potter. Wilson Abbot. I trust you will be taking the exam in five days with the rest of the new initiates?"

"I wasn't aware of any exams. I'll ask my mentor." Harry was picking up something subtle. A challenge? He'd talk to Bill about that. Looking over at a few of the other people on the edge of the area, he noticed that they were looking at him as well. He knew that look. They were not happy he was here and they were not happy he was a curse breaker initiate.

"Well, I hope to see you there. Best of luck and happy birthday." As Wilson walked away, Harry noted the smirks on the faces of two young witches and three young men. He got it now. Jealousy and privilege. They were saying he was just a poster child. Well, he'd show them!

Approaching Bill, Harry caught his eye. "Bill, is there a test I should be taking? In five days?"

"You are not ready for that. Generally, it takes two years of study before taking the exam. I have no doubt you could take it next year, but this year is not possible. Generally, you need to apply a year in advance."

Harry then filled Bill in on the conversation he had just had with Wilson. He watched Bill's face as the pieces all came together. "Harry, they're just jealous. Look, Director Ragnok made a huge display of your entry into this programme and ruffled a few feathers. They just want you to be put in your place with a failure on the exam or an admission that you were not ready."

"I see. Well, I want to take it. I have devoured every book you have sent me and if those books are a guide, I can pass this exam. Heck, even the books Director Ragnok gave me are great info, but not really a huge challenge. The book you gave me today is the first one I will have to really dig into."

"I don't know, Harry. The test is five days away. Alright, the dig is in two weeks. That gives me time to help you prepare. It WILL cut into your practical Rune carving time though. No promises, but I'll write to Director Ragnok and see if he can get you added. Remember, we are not in London anymore, so his influence only goes so far."

Silently, Bill was cursing those initiates and their mentors. Why couldn't they just let him work with Harry at a normal pace? Why was it always a challenge? Looking over, he recognised three senior journeymen with three new recruits. They were all good and all had been up for promotion. Bill was the only one who had been elevated to Warden and the others were showing a bit of spite. If Harry failed, they would be openly disrespectful. Well, he'd have to make sure Harry didn't fail.

-DoD-

The five days flew by. Ragnok came through and got a seat in the exam for Harry. Harry studied day and night. Ron and the twins were supportive once they heard about the challenge made on his Birthday. They thought it was bad form. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley would bring him tea and food while he was studying. Harry could tell Mrs. Weasley was concerned and worried. Mr. Weasley told him repeatedly that he believed in him. That helped. Bill was relentless, a real task master. But Harry absorbed it all. Many times he dreamed about the reading materials all night. It consumed him. Back down? Hell No! He only wished he had more time to practice his Rune carving.

Five days later, he took the eight hour exam. He finished in six. As he turned in his materials early, he noted a few snickers. The other initiates thought he had failed or given up. They would be shocked. The only area he struggled was… Rune carving. It's OK, he knew he aced it as a whole. He went to his bed and collapsed for twelve hours. All the late nights activities really caught up to him.

He dreamed of his Mum. They celebrated and had a party in his childhood home. She continued quizzing him, but it was all for fun. His mum had liked curse breaking as much as he had. They really bonded over it. His dreams ended with his mum and him going wind-surfing.

-DoD-

While Harry was sleeping, Bill met with the other mentors and get the test results for their initiates.

"So, Bill, how did your 'child prodigy' perform?"

Annoyed at their smirks, Bill stood his ground. "Let's get something straight right now, Harry is a prodigy. He is every bit as gifted as his Grandfather, Charlus Potter." That made them all do a double take. Apparently they did not know Harry was Charlus' grandson. "Be careful antagonising him, you know he single-handedly killed that Basilisk Gringotts harvested two months ago. Tell your initiates to back off, or I'll let Harry deal with them."

"Come on, Bill. A twelve year old killed a Basilisk?"

"Contact Gringotts and read the report. Now, let's see." Bill opened the envelope with Harry's scores. "Wait, this can't be right." The other mentors were watching, "No, it is. He had a near perfect score on the exam apart from some… rather sloppy Rune carving." Damn! "It's in the top two percent of all initiate scores in the last twenty years."

This was amazing. How on earth...? He's only thirteen…

Seeing the disbelieving looks, Bill held the scores up and showed his stunned co-workers. Afterward, he went to have it framed. Reading the lower notes he saw a question, 'Minoan Hieroglyphs?' According to the notes, the instructor tested the hieroglyphs and they worked perfectly. He had to test them as no one really understood how Minoan Hieroglyphs worked. They were one of the sets of Runic knowledge lost when Thera exploded. This was huge. If Harry could read Minoan Hieroglyphs… but how? Who could have taught him?

After Bill ordered the frame, he went to his tent for a late dinner. His parents and Charlie were there.

Charlie asked the question before anyone else could, "So, how did Harry do?" Bill could see his mum was truly worried. His dad was holding her hand, he was on edge, too. Bill gently handed them Harry's test results.

"My god, this is amazing! Bill, you did it. You trained him to be amazing." His parents were proud of them both. Charlie just looked stunned.

"It's all Harry Dad. He pulled out all stops. The minute those other initiates tried to bully him… well, we all saw last year how he deals with bullies." At that, they all laughed. All except Molly.

"Who tried to bully him? Answer me truthfully, Bill." Shite, that had just slipped out. He did not want his mum knowing about that. The others all knew, but not his mum.

"It's OK, Mum. People got jealous because he was so young and thought that he was getting special treatment. Now they'll know he was NOT." She seemed to be working herself up. Not good. Turning red. "Mum, don't make a big deal of this. Harry fought his own battle and I had his back. Just be happy for him." She seemed to grudgingly accept this.

-DoD-

When Bill found Harry, he was throwing some kind of flaming spear at a boulder. Bill had never seen this spell before. As he watched, Harry alternated the spears he was summoning and throwing from fire, to rock, to some kind of electric, to water and then to wood. The fire spear would burst into flames as it struck the boulder. The earth spear seemed to hit harder than it was thrown. The electric spear made a thunder clap sound on impact. The wood burst into thorny vines, and the water one seemed to just cling to the rock. All were impressive, but the wood spear seemed the best formed of the bunch. It was then that he noticed there was an audience watching. Some of the other initiates were staring unabashedly.

Bill began clapping his hands, both to get his attention and to make it appear he had approved the demonstration. Quietly, he whispered, "Harry, you know you're not supposed to be casting without an adult present." Bill knew Harry must have had a good reason. That's when he noticed, Harry was not using his wand. What the hell?

"Sorry, Bill. I heard a few initiates that were talking about putting me in my place. I thought this would be the best way to… dissuade them." Harry looked pissed. Bill knew about Harry's second year, but he also knew that what school kids were willing to do was actually considered illegal for adults to do. He doubted Harry was actually in any physical danger. Still, this demonstration did not hurt. He'd have to find a way to warn him before the after initiation 'event' in 5 days. Harry might actually kill someone.

"How did you hear them, Harry?" Bill wanted to know if he needed to involve their mentors.

"Well, owls have amazing hearing as well as vision. I've been practicing doing for my ears what I can do with my eyes. You remember the optometrist, right?" Bill nodded, remembering that day in Diagon Alley. "Well, I saw them looking oddly at me and I just sort of 'tuned in'. They're mad that I passed with a good score. I had this happen last year when everyone thought I was a dark wizard, so I can spot the signs."

"Harry, you know not to tell anyone about your eyes or your ears – right? Partial transfiguration gets people worked up. We really need to help you with the Animagus training soon." Wow. His ears too. All on demand.

"I know Bill. It's one of my 'ace in the hole' tricks. So, how well did I do?"

"In simple terms, you did Amazing. Top two percent. You were 'dinged' slightly because your Runes were rough. We can work on that." Bill was smiling. Harry looked ecstatic.

"How does that compare to you? Was I close?"

"No, I did good, but not that good. I was top five percent."

"Hell, if your Runes had been a little cleaner, and you had another two months to study, you might have beaten old Fidelius and given your grandfather a run for the record!"

Harry was beaming.

"Hey, prep your suit for next week. You will officially become my apprentice at a ceremony. Normally, this is where I tell you to straighten up and take it seriously. No fooling around… you know. Basically, just don't act like Ron or the twins. All I'm gonna say is, keep up the good work and be VERY careful in the field." Bill decided to have Charlie pass on to Harry info about the midnight initiation. With Harry Potter, you can't just kidnap him.

"I need to ask you something, Harry. When did you learn Minoan Hieroglyphs and where did you learn to cast that spear spell wandlessly?"

"No clue on the hieroglyphs, I just picked it up somewhere. The spear spell is from something that just comes naturally. I usually do it with a wand. Makes it hit harder and cast faster. But I was afraid the trace would pick it up if I used my wand. I also wanted to intimidate the other apprentices a little. Normally, I can only do it under stress, but lately, I can do things a lot easier." Harry knew it had to do with the Basilisk venom damaging the evil in his scar. He knew not to talk about that. Telling people Voldemort put something evil in his head would never pay off.

"Mission accomplished, Harry. Those other jerks should leave you alone." Not wanting Harry to become resentful, Bill decided to just be honest with him. "Keep in mind, they worked two years to be able to take that test, then you just waltzed in and had it handed to you. Normally, you have to be out of school and have the right NEWT scores just to qualify."

Biting his lip, Bill knew he had to come clean. "I do have a confession to make, Harry. There really wasn't a 'junior curse breaker' program. I just cooked that up to get you down here, but Ragnok loved the idea. Made a real show of it." Seeing Harry flinch he quickly added, "Don't get mad, I always planned to offer an apprenticeship to you and I thought I could get you away from the Dursleys and down here by working with Dumbledore. Ragnok endorsing you only sweetened the pot. I'd say this was a win-win. The program exists now and I expect Ragnok will likely open it up to promising students in the future."

Bill put his arm around Harry and continued, "But those other initiates never had the benefit. Kind of makes sense they would be a little irritated. Honestly, I highly doubt they would have attacked you. Nineteen and twenty year olds just don't just go around attacking thirteen year olds. People don't do that in the real world... it's called assault. More likely they would have filed a complaint or something. If you can manage it, try to be kind. Right now they're probably trying to figure out how you did that spear trick." And so am I, Bill thought to himself.

"So, when I thanked Ragnok for letting me in the program…"

"Yep, you let that cat out of the bag!" At that Bill burst into laughter. Harry could see where the twins got their mischievous sense of humour. "Now, let's go eat."

-DoD-

Harry spent the next three days working on his Runes and reading through his grandfather's book. When he wasn't studying, he was either playing chess with Ron or talking quidditch try-outs with Ginny. He told her he would let her use his broom to try out if she wanted. All that talk got Ron thinking about trying out for Keeper. Harry was a little nervous about that. Ron was a good flyer, but his abilities as a keeper was adequate at best. Harry said he would help him practice.

Ron went on to explain that the new school brooms were actually perfect for keepers and chasers. Percy had been told McGonagall and Hooch chose Comet 260s for beginners and general use brooms. The Clean Sweep 7s were selected for Quidditch players and experienced flyers. To level the playing field, the school was considering making those standard for Quidditch matches too. Snape was against that, considering that the entire Slytherin Quidditch team had Nimbus 2001s, no surprise there. Still, Harry hated the idea of giving up his Nimbus 2000.

Harry had quizzed Bill on a future in the curse breaking profession. It seemed a little limited and somewhat dishonest. Bill explained that you learn to break curses and wards as a novice. Then, you start learning to set wards as a Journeyman. By learning to break them first, you were much better at creating durable wards later. In some parts of the world, the ward setters never spent time breaking curses or wards, so their wards would have all kinds of weak points. By the time you graduated from a Journeyman to a Warden, you were able to set wards with the Gringotts stamp of approval. Bill took pride in having just recently graduated from Journeyman to Warden.

He also explained that ALL curse breakers and ward setters were licenced by Gringotts as they had operations in most developed countries. And Gringotts gets a 'cut'. Initially, this cut is 40%. Once a curse breaker has repaid Gringotts for the costs of training, they can go independent, but will always be Gringotts affiliated and will always have to give 15% of the proceeds to the bank. In return, Gringotts licences and assists with legal contracts and duties. You couldn't operate in most countries without a Gringotts licence. Those who do are usually criminals. Pirates. A reason to keep your duelling skills sharp. No one likes a claim jumper.

-DoD-

As Harry drifted off, he went into his dream home with his mum. "Mum, I passed with honours! I had one of the highest scores ever!"

Lily's incarnation smiled brilliantly. "I knew you would, Harry. You have been studying Runes since before you could read. It has really paid off."

Harry went on to tell her how high he had scored and talked about Rune carving. It was easy to draw a Rune but quite hard to carve it. She just listened patiently as Harry went over all the details he had covered.

As Harry wound down, Lily suggested: "You have a huge opportunity now Harry. While the evil is dormant, you need to practice your talents and using your matrixes as frequently as possible. Like you are doing with your elemental spears. This will let you use some of them while awake if the evil awakens and heals."

Deflated, Harry asked the painful question, "You mean it might come back?"

"Maybe, maybe not. But we do need to prepare." Seeing Harry depressed, she reminded him of the upside, "Nothing wrong with practising magic, right?"

"Right-o, Mum. What did you have in mind?"

"Hmmm. Let's focus on a different spell and a different talent each week. You are already good with the elemental spears and Wind Catching. Let's play with Fireblood and Gliding Strike over the next two weeks. Gliding strike is kind of like Wind Catching, but it lets you glide short distances in the air without actually falling. It's more like sliding on a slick floor. It'll help on icy conditions or where there is a drop off you need to cross over. Fire Blood actually causes you blood to catch fire and seal up wounds. Very useful given your tendency for injury. Once mastered, we'll switch to cold purify for disease and poison, then dispelling magic. The way I will teach you will be more flexible than simply using the 'finite' charm. You will actually be 'unweaving' magic. Very useful to be able to do that wandlessly. That should cover the talents before you go to school."

Harry thought that sounded good. Especially the Fire Blood. That was just crazy cool.

"For spells, let's practice putting a few in your matrixes. Keep working on number thirteen. I think we will add to your already 'Wood Element' heavy repertoire. Let's go with Lightning Bolt and Icy Surface followed by Ice Mace & Chain and Thunderclap. Good spells affiliated with the Air Element. Of course we will fill up the matrixes with a modern spells like 'Protego', 'Bombarda' and 'Diffindo'. In a few months, I want to talk to you about how to summon and communicate with elementals… but we can hold off on that for now."

They practised filling up the spell matrixes. The more powerful spells would be placed in the 'threaded' matrixes while the standard spells would be placed in the normal matrixes. Harry would try to do this every night along with his occlumency.

Once Bill realised Harry was practicing wandless magic, he had him only do it in seclusion. Bill couldn't differentiate between 'magical talents' and actual spells, but he knew Harry was using magic at an entirely different level. No point in giving this knowledge away.

-DoD-

On August tenth, Harry and Bill had the Novice initiation ceremony. Ragnok himself attended, which was unusual. At the ceremony, each Apprentice and Mentor take a vow of learning and teaching. It was a very solemn ceremony and the Weasleys were all present. The Daily Prophet also came, but seemed to focus mainly on Harry. It ended with Harry and Bill slicing open their palms and grasping their hands together while taking the vows. After which, Harry held up his palm and sealed the wound with fire blood. Normally, combat was required for Fireblood to work, but his adrenaline was high enough to trigger it. Bill watched in amazement. Ragnok just grinned. He was no longer an 'Initiate', he was officially a 'Novice' Curse Breaker.

That night, the novices were 'kidnapped' and taken to a different ceremony involving fire whiskey and dancing. Harry had been warned by Charlie, so he just went with it. Still, being tied up and blindfolded was unnerving. Bill made sure he didn't drink too much. But Harry still had more than any thirteen year old should. Bill made him promise to stop and switch to Butter Beer once he realised Harry had taken a few shots of the stronger stuff.

Harry got to know the other Novices and realised they weren't that bad. Just a little jealous. He had fun. They asked about the basilisk and listened as he told the tale (leaving out Ginny and any mention of her being possessed). He also talked about plants and the elements. He knew it was part of his dreaming, but he saw no issue with sharing the general knowledge. One of the mentors over heard and called him an elementalist. It fit. Then, Bill tapped him on the shoulder and reminded him that tomorrow was Ginny's Birthday… So they left around three AM.

-DoD-

The next morning, Harry got up at ten AM and staggered in to grab food and wish Ginny a happy birthday. Not used to fire whiskey, Harry was really hurting. Mrs. Weasley was furious, but mostly at Bill. Ron and the twins thought it was funny. Percy just disapproved. As always. Mr. Weasley took Bill outside and Harry suspected he let him have it. They had their stories straight and stuck to the 'It was just bad Butterbeer' defence. No one bought it. When it was time to open presents, Harry handed his to her first and stunned Ginny with the gift. Top of the line Quidditch gloves and a whole suit of pads and protective gear. All the best money could buy. She just gave him a huge hug. Molly said something about the jersey being enough, but Harry said he wanted her to be safe. No arguing with that! Checkmate. Oddly, Mrs. Weasley got a little gleam in her eye when Harry said he wanted to keep Ginny safe.

Ginny had her big day. At one point she took Harry aside and thanked him. Not just for the gifts, but for saving her and helping her have therapy. Harry knew it meant a lot to her. She said it was helping her overcome her shyness and other issues related to being the youngest and only daughter. He was so glad he could help. When she looked up at him and smiled, he realised something. He was holding her hand. Also... She was kind of cute…

Later, Mr. Weasley brought Harry a vial of something that tasted like tar. "Drink up Harry. Next time you get over this on your own." He then smiled and had Harry drink a tall glass of water. Followed by a potion that tasted like lemons. And not in a good way. Within fifteen minutes, Harry felt like new. Gotta love magic!

The day was all about Ginny and they all gave her tons of attention. The twins talked about being a backup chaser/seeker. Ron talked about Gwenog Jones and her impressive record. It was shocking how much Ron knew about Quidditch. If he would only apply himself in school… Harry just gave her attention. She was starting to loosen up around him and he found he liked her company. Percy talked grades, yuck, and Charlie taught her to dance. Bill was her favourite and he showed her a few tricks in being a chaser. How to hold the Quaffle, fake out the keeper, passing, etc. She had an amazing day.

-DoD-

Field Work

The time had come to take a crack at the discovered tomb. Bill was the lead with the other three Journeymen serving as backup. The newly initiated Novices were the 'grunt' workers. They shadowed their mentors and did the odd jobs around the site. Harry and a witch named Julia Scott took kitchen duty, the Wilson and Frank took on more of the physical heavy lifting and maintenance work.

Harry began to like Julia. She admitted to being a little jealous, but Harry had proven himself with his test results. She also admitted that her mentor had read the Basilisk report and it was impressive. She was from Ilvermorny in the United States and this was her first time out of the country. She and Harry worked well together and they both had a bit of a love affair with cooking. Wilson and Frank were always trying to steal food, it became a fun game between them all.

At each de-briefing, the novices would pair off and come up with questions and ideas on how to get into the tomb safely. Initially, Wilson and Frank tended to talk over Harry and Julia, but that ended when Harry lost his cool and told them to shut up and listen. Once the novice team found their groove, it was plain sailing.

Bill shared his plans and notes, as did the other mentors. Harry was learning so much more than he did at Hogwarts, he wished he could just keep doing this. The other novices had differing points of view that he found insightful. Wilson had actually shown him a different way to carve runes that was helpful. He was by far the best at Rune carving in sandstone. Julia used a technique in her Runes where she built tiles out of clay and preferred Mayan hieroglyphs. Frank's methods were more in line with Bills. It was fun exchanging ideas like this. Diversity of opinions and perspective was a huge benefit of working in a group. Harry wondered why Hogwarts didn't embrace more diversity. The house system actually works against seeing and understanding other points of view.

Eventually, the tomb was opened. The curses were diffused. To everyone's amazement, the Mayan hieroglyphs were the most effective. Likely because the Egyptian priests had never seen anything like them to counter. As the treasures were removed, Harry saw one Scarab that seemed… vile. He called attention to it saying, "Please do NOT touch that. It is… something... evil."

After a few tests were run, it was confirmed to be heavily cursed and extended exposure would result in horrific results to all who touched it. Harry then had to answer a dozen questions on how he knew it was cursed. He could only say 'It seemed wrong and vile.' A few goblins had him pick cursed objects out of a group of objects and were amazed that he could do so repeatedly. The heavier the curse, the faster he could detect it. They all agreed, this was a good skill to have as a curse breaker.

After all the treasures had been catalogued, the apprentices were given a small share of the total earnings and were allowed to pick something as a keepsake. Harry chose a bronze knife shaped like a Khopesh. There was nothing magical about it, but it fit his hand well and he planned to use it as a letter opener. Bill had a small leather sheath made for it.

Finally, it was time to leave. Bill gave Harry instructions on what to work on and a weekly study plan with assignments to submit. He also had Harry continue practising Rune carvings. Harry had improved in his Rune carving on sandstone, but he needed to keep it up and learn to carve them in different materials as well. All packed up, they made for the international portkey office in Cairo and from there to London. There were tearful good byes and promises to write, then they were off.

This was the best summer of young Harry's life.

-DoD-

One Month Earlier

Azkaban Island

Sirius Black stared at the Daily Prophet photo. There was Harry, looking just like his father, James. Beside him was a red-headed boy holding a rat. A rat with a missing toe. A rat Sirius immediately recognised.

Peter Pettigrew.

Harry was in danger. Sirius Black knew only that he had to save him…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Year Three.
> 
> This was originally intended to be an opener for year three, but it got legs of its own. Lily has passed on so much knowledge that Harry was nearly ready for his exam on day one. The extended books he was given at the beginning of year one, the additional books Bill had been sending him in correspondence, and the books Ragnok picked out for him did the rest. The more advanced book that had been his grandfathers was icing on the cake. Is he a prodigy? Maybe. But he did not just learn all that in two weeks. Has he been studying Runes and Arithmancy since he was in kindergarten? Yep. Note that had the Horcrux in his scar been acting up, his score likely would have been impacted. That is one good thing that came from his Basilisk encounter.
> 
> Next chapter will be a shorter one, mostly a 'summary' type chapter as it sticks closer to canon. Then we move on to year 4 where everything goes off the rails.


	9. Chapter 9

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**This chapter will be more of a 'summary' chapter, focusing more on where divergence from Canon occurs. It will get Harry to the Fourth Year when everything goes nuts.**

**Because Harry was in Egypt the summer between his second and third year, a few things did NOT happen: Aunt Marge did not 'Blow Up' and float away. Harry did not see Sirius Black's Escape on the Muggle news. Harry did not meet Fudge at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry did not live at Diagon Alley. Harry never encountered a large black dog near his house. Harry never summoned the Knight Bus.**

**A few things that DID happen differently: Harry spent most of the summer with the Weasley family. Harry has an intense drive to study and become a career curse breaker. Harry has a study plan from Bill that will get him through the third year and beyond. Harry was told to take Runes and Arithmancy instead of Divination. Ron was also told not to laze about and to take Ancient Runes instead of Divination. With the damage to the Horcrux, Harry remembers far more of his dream-time training.**

**Special thanks to 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and error correction.**

**-Dance of Death-**

**Third Year**

**August 31, 1993**

**Diagon Alley**

The Weasley family arrived with Harry and go shopping for the new school year. Harry and Mr. Weasley visited Gringotts to withdraw money and Harry was personally congratulated for being the youngest person ever to pass the Novice curse breaker exam. He was also noted as completing his first curse breaking expedition. Harry showed Ragnok his bronze Khopesh knife that he was using as a letter opener. Mr. Weasley gently told Harry that bladed weapons were not allowed in either Hogwarts or Gringotts. Ragnok just laughed and informed Arthur that Harry is an employee and therefore rules can be relaxed. Harry considered the knife and decided that Ragnok had always been there for him. He gave it to the now stunned goblin. A wizard giving a weapon to a goblin… an ancient weapon as well.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. I shall… treasure this gift." He looked at the young wizard with renewed interest.

They met up with Hermione and talked about their summer. Percy went his own way and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley met up the Grangers and decided to catch up at Bell's for an early lunch. They were a largish party consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Hermione's parents, Hermione, and Harry. Walking in, Harry saw a few people he wanted to avoid. Oliver was there along with Alicia and Angelina. He acted like he did not see them, but they definitely saw him.

They were seated in the back room and Katie Bell came to take their order. Her parents owned the restaurant and she worked there during the summer and on winter holiday. She approached the table and looking at Fred and George, gave an enthusiastic greeting. "Hey, guys! Welcome back! How about a round of butterbeers? On the house?"

Harry avoided her eyes and just nodded and quietly said "Thanks." The other kids were more jubilant. Katie seemed a bit deflated, but kept smiling and took the adult drink orders as well.

Hermione looked over at Harry and chastised him. "Harry, she was trying to be nice. You should at least make eye contact." Hermione wanted Harry to have a good year and that meant re-establishing friends.

Ginny lit up at that, "Not until they apologise! All of them! Hermione, don't you even remember how they treated Harry last year? The Hexing…" She did not want to go into details on that.

Hermione looked like she was ready to debate the issue, until she saw the look on Harry's face. She had been bullied before too, she knew how much the Quidditch team had hurt Harry. She let it go.

Fred and George quietly got up and went to see the team.

Oliver was waiting to see them, flanked by Alicia and Angelina. "Fred, George. How was the summer? I heard you went to Egypt." Then he got closer to his point. "With Harry."

"Yeah, well, about that…"

"It might be for…"

"the best…"

"to let things…"

"mellow out."

Oliver hated trying to keep track of which twin was speaking. The way they went back and forth. He was certain they did this on purpose. It was easier to just look at his plate and listen. "We need Harry. We can take the cup this year if we have him on the team."

Alicia stepped in, "What if I apologised? Would that be enough?"

"Maybe, but it would be better…"

"If you went to McGonagall and confessed…"

"to what really happened."

"But I'll get detention! And so will Angelina! What good would that do?"

Katie chimed in at that. "Alicia, you hexed his **bits**. I am ashamed that I didn't say anything when McGonagall asked, but you gotta come clean." Fred and George were nodding at that. "We need him and it's the **right** thing to do."

Both girls looked at each other, then Alicia said, "Alright – we'll write McGonagall. But he'd **BETTER** play."

The twins soon re-joined the table and they all enjoyed Shepherd's pie. It was well known that 'Bell's' made the best Shepherd's pie on earth. After eating, the family paid up and finished their shopping for school. Harry and Hermione picked out a few books far beyond their grade and planned to do some extra reading. Hagrid's book was a menace, what was he thinking? Finally, they went to Ollivander's to get Ron a new wand and see if Ginny could find a better fit. She had been using a relative's wand and it seemed to work well, but it never hurt to check. Ron got a new wand and Ginny's was replaced by one that fit her slightly better. Harry told her that it was a great idea to have a backup wand.

Next stop was Quality Quidditch Supplies. They marvelled at the newest broom, but Harry said he still liked his Nimbus 2000. Everything seemed bright and fresh to Harry. Ginny was excited. Ron decided not to try out this year, but Ginny was going for it. She had guts, that's for sure. Hermione purchased a huge cat and named him 'Crookshanks."

Harry found that he was actually looking forward to having a great year. Then, whilst walking through the alley, he spotted a wanted poster. It had a picture of a man Harry almost recognised. He looked deranged. Wanted dead or alive, the poster said. Sirius Black. Harry suddenly had a sense of knowing the man. "Pafoo".

Mr. Weasley saw him and came over. "Don't worry with that, Harry. Let's go catch up to the others." He had a gentle smile and an easy going way about him, but Harry could tell Mr. Weasley was upset about something.

"Who is that man, Mr. Weasley? I feel like I know him. What did he do?"

"Please, Harry. Let's not discuss this now." Harry allowed Mr. Weasley to lead him off, but his mind was racing. He knew the man. He cared about him… no threat there. Who was he?

-DoD-

The train ride on the Hogwarts Express started out amazing as Harry and Ron and Ginny talked about Egypt to Hermione and Neville. That soon changed when Dementors showed up. Harry heard it in his head first.

" _Master, are you there? We can sense you… Where are you?"_ There was feeling of icy despair. Decay and rot. Then despair followed as the train became icy. Deep in Harry's mind he heard his mother crying out 'No, not Harry…' and a third voice that was even more foul than the first shouting " _freeee meeee"._ The presence grew closer and Harry blacked out.

In his mindscape, he saw his mother's incarnation fighting to hold the now awakened evil force in. The house they were in was shaking. The image of his mother was glowing with Power. Power she was siphoning from Harry to fight the presence. Then the house stopped shaking. It was still contained. Barely. Harry felt his power slowly returning and he began to wake up.

The man handed Harry chocolate and he talked about Dementors. He was the new DADA teacher, Remus Lupin. Harry liked him, but he felt like he knew him as well. Not personally, but from one of his dreams. Odd. Upon arrival, they sat through the feast, then returned to the common room where McGonagall was waiting for them. Apparently, Alicia and Angelina came clean on their deception last year. They were given a month of detentions and apologised to Harry directly.

Minerva was thrilled that the two young ladies had come forward and confessed. This made it so much easier to improve relations with Harry. He seemed to grudgingly accept the apology and agreed to re-join the team with one stipulation: Ginny had to get a chance as well. She found it amazing how loyal this younger version of James was. How on earth could she have confused the two last year? He had James speed and wry wit, but not the tendency to over assert himself over others. So much more like Lily. Kind and Loyal. Unfortunately, the same temper… Still, things were looking up.

The next two months were a blur. Ginny scored a position as backup chaser and seeker. She showed enough talent to impress even Woods. The school brooms were much better, so she could use one of them as chaser, and if Harry couldn't play, he said she could use his Nimbus as a seeker. She was on cloud nine. Arthur had to step in to get her mum to approve it though. Apparently, they did not expect her to make the team. With Mr. Weasley's help, Molly agreed to allow her on the team as a Backup as long as Harry and the twins promised to look out for her. Katie admitted to being a little nervous Ginny would bump her in a couple of years. She was that good.

Harry spent a good amount of free time with Hagrid and one afternoon, Hagrid introduced him to Buckbeak, a Hippogriff and it was magnificent. Buckbeak even let Harry fly on his back. There was a real connection there. Harry suspected his slowly emerging Animagus form being an owl helped – both birds of prey. Hermione reminded him that birds of prey often prey on each other… why did she always have to do that? Hermione just couldn't help herself. But he wouldn't change her. Harry also gave a presentation to his charms and transfiguration classes on his time in Egypt learning curse-breaking. Public speaking was not something he enjoyed. Some of the Slytherins heckled him. The Ravenclaws asked great questions, and the Hufflepuffs just listened quietly. The Gryffindor's just wanted to know what it was like breaking into a tomb.

Other events came and went: At one of Hagrid's first classes, Draco faked an injury to get Hagrid fired. He caused the scene completely. Hermione felt like Hagrid was not taking enough precautions, but she still wanted to help Buckbeak. She started researching ways to form a defence. Later, Lavender received a note from home – her bunny had died. Apparently this meant some 'divination' nonsense had come true. Harry ignored this and focused on Quidditch and getting Ginny up to speed.

He started on Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, but was quickly given far more advanced material to work on. Hermione seemed both proud and a little jealous of him. Both he and Hermione had to help Ron in Ancient Runes. Fortunately, Ron opted for Divination instead of Arithmancy. That would have been a disaster. After an Ancient Runes class, Susan Bones approached Harry and asked if he would have lunch with her.

Apparently, their families were allies and had been for generations. She asked if she could discuss this with him. He agreed and sat with her at the Hufflepuff table. The Potter and Bones families had apparently been allies for centuries and since she was the last of the direct line of Bones, she wanted to reach out and officially inform him of this. She had been shocked at how little he knew. She was nice. Harry realised that they were both orphans and he decided to begin a friendship with her. Being in different houses meant they did not have much time together, but it was nice to have a friend in a different house. Someone he could relate to.

Halloween came and went. They all had to sleep in the Great Hall because someone had broken into the castle. Apparently it was that same man Harry had seen the poster of in Diagon Alley. Sirius Black. He had even tried to get into the Gryffindor common room.

Harry continued training in his mindscape during the evenings. He learned new ways to internally use magic and focused on improving his skills. He had privately demonstrated a few elemental charms to Professor Flitwick. The man absolutely loved the elemental spears, but could not quite get his arms around the way they worked. Harry was trying to explain how the elements were not just something to charm, but he couldn't quite get there. Filius used the time together to show Harry a few duelling tricks. The 'spears' Harry favoured fit so well into Harrys style of moving. When combined with Confrigo, Diffindo, Bombarda, Stupefy, and Expelliarmus, Harry had a winning attack chain. Protego and a few other shields could be woven in easily. The fact that Harry could use both of his hands equally well when casting, made Flitwick wonder about getting a spare wand and training Harry to duel with two wands, a rare skill.

Harry settled into this intense but focused pattern all the way up until his first quidditch match. The team was humming on all cylinders. Cedric was a natural seeker and had more experience as a seeker. Harry was a bit more nimble and had far better distance vision. Skill and natural ability vs experience. As they both raced for the snitch, Harry managed to pull out ahead and was closing in on the prize. At this point, he heard the vile sounds off the Dementors once more. "Master, we come to aid you…"

There was a repeat of what happened on the train. Harry passed out and fell from his broom. In his dream scape, he watched his mother's incarnation contain the evil in the scar, but it was close. As Harry fell further away, the danger passed. His mother looked at him and yelled, "WAKE UP, HARRY!"

Opening his eyes, Harry saw the ground getting closer. He stretched out his arms and began using his 'Wind Catcher' talent. As he slowed and neared the ground, he saw the snitch. Turning and shifting directions, he closed in on it and grabbed it out of the air before landing in a roll. Holding up the snitch, he noticed the stunned faces. The game was halted and the staff met and discussed the event. Hufflepuff was declared the winner as Harry had used magic other than a Broom to catch the snitch. He was stunned. And to top it off, his broom had been destroyed.

Over the next week, Harry was questioned and it came out that he had elemental abilities that some claimed gave him an unfair edge. Snape made a point of using this in an attempt to end Harry's time as a seeker. How could anyone be sure he was not controlling the snitch with the wind? To her credit, McGonagall fought hard, but it eventually went to the Board of Governors. Lucius Malfoy lobbied heavily and the Hogwarts Board was put to a vote. By a very narrow margin, Harry was allowed to continue playing Quidditch. He did have to sign a 'promise note' not to use elemental magic when he played, with the stipulation that he could assist himself or others that have fallen off their broom. If he knowingly used any magic while playing, his note would burst into flames and Gryffindor would forfeit the cup.

Snape glared maliciously at Harry every chance he got. He dropped insulting comments and called him a cheater at every opportunity. Draco layered it on as well. One day, he'd make Snape and Malfoy pay, but for now, Harry had to just take it. The Quidditch team was actually nice about it. They took the loss in stride and realised they were not out of the running.

When he wasn't playing Quidditch, Harry focused on Curse-Breaking. Hermione frequently asked to borrow the book Bill had given him, but Harry was reading it every day. He let her read it from time to time while he was working with her in the library on other projects, but he treated that book as a family heirloom. Curse breaking was becoming his obsession.

He wrote to Ragnok and learned that he could test for Journeyman after three expeditions and 100 hours in the field. No age limit, but it usually required advanced learning to pass. The exam was strenuous, so he would have to study very hard. Harry planned to use his summers to get the two expeditions under his belt (he already had one) and shift his focus from quidditch to curse-breaking. He just needed to keep his night time dreamscape training on target and he'd be fine. He actually thought he was almost ready now…

Harry began working with Professor Lupin on the Patronus Charm to drive away the Dementors. It was a tough spell, but Harry understood the need. He also understood that the Dementors could release the evil contained in his scar and he'd have to deal with it like he did in his second year. That had been awful. If only he could talk to someone about it. Maybe Bill. Next summer, he'd discuss the scar with him. He knew never to talk about it from his dream time, but exceptions had to be made if he truly trusted someone.

Harry was intent to go to Hogsmeade, but lacked the permission slip from his Aunt and Uncle. Deciding to sneak out, he was caught by the twins who saw his footprints. They gave him a fantastic map and he snuck away. Overhearing a conversation he knew that Sirius was the one who betrayed his parents… but he felt no rage. It was odd. He just, somehow, knew the man was innocent.

That night, in his mindscape/dreamscape, he discussed it with his mother's incarnation. She confirmed that Sirius had **not** been the secret keeper and that he was innocent. She was distraught to learn that he had been at Azkaban for twelve years. She warned Harry to stay away from Dementors and not to believe Sirius was guilty. Peter Pettigrew was actually the traitor. She also was nervous about trusting anyone with the knowledge of the scar, even Bill. She felt it was too risky. Harry decided not to argue, but he had already made up his mind. They then began reviewing Runic combinations and Arithmancy formulas used in curse breaking.

With the destruction of his broom, Harry occasionally took to brooding by the lake. He started talking to a large black dog. Becoming fast friends, he began sneaking food to the poor animal, it had looked so hungry. He even asked Dobby to bring him meats on a regular basis. Dobby looked at the dog for a long time and nodded. Something about the dog seemed odd to Dobby, but Harry Potter was a great wizard, so he knew best.

Harry was shocked to receive a Firebolt at Christmas! Hermione ruined everything by going straight to McGonagall and having his broom confiscated. He stopped studying with her until he calmed down. He had checked it for curses and hexes, it was clean. Hopefully the staff wouldn't screw it up with their clumsy work. This really hurt because Hermione was someone he had trusted completely. Like Bill. Ron was actually angrier than he was. He really wanted a turn on the broom. It was a FIREBOLT!

Harry and Ron finally forgave Hermione and she admitted she should have talked to them first. He didn't want to treat her badly. All was forgiven. His circle of friends had grown to include Ginny, Neville, and Susan. Ron seemed to dislike the fact that Harry now had extra friends, but he came to accept it. Susan was usually with Hufflepuff and Ginny was a year behind. But Neville stayed with the group. Eventually, Harry's broom was returned and he promised to let Ginny use it from time to time.

There was a break-in at the Gryffindor common room and only Ron's screaming drove the intruder away. Neville was singled out to blame, and McGonagall was livid. Harry stood by his friend and assured him everything was alright. The poor kid just about broke into tears at that. Harry even wrote a letter to Neville's Gran and expressed his concerns that Neville was unfairly singled out and the intruder had to get through the entire castle before entering the Gryffindor rooms. He also discussed how much he enjoyed working with Neville and how he desired to strengthen the friendship and family alliance. There, that should help.

The Gryffindors defeated Ravenclaw soundly. One notable event came when Harry encountered the Ravenclaw seeker after the game. She smiled at him and he felt… something. He just smiled and stared a bit longer than he should have. Hermione elbowed him, Neville and Ron just laughed.

Ginny was like a hawk on the Firebolt. Almost as good as Harry and just as fearless. Harry was very glad for that. Last year had been horrible for her, he really wanted her to get her confidence back. It looked like she did. She seemed more like a chaser than a seeker, though.

Buckbeak's hearing was finally held and he was sentenced to death. To his credit, Draco didn't look too happy about that. More embarrassed and slightly ashamed. Hagrid was on probation and was devastated. Hermione was too, she had put so many hours into his defence and it was all for nothing. She really liked the large animal.

The final match between Slytherin and Gryffindor was a beastly one. The twins were giving Harry cover fire. Draco played to win as always, dirty tricks were part of his tool kit. It was a hell of a game, but Harry managed to get the snitch before him. Draco was a skilled flyer, but in the end, the speed of the Firebolt and Harry's natural talent and ability won out. Gryffindor won the cup! Harry was very happy for the team and for the house. He loved the game so much.

-DoD-

Harry and his friends stepped out of the tunnel from the Shrieking Shack. Ron was injured and needed help walking. Snape was unconscious, they left him behind. Harry regretted not snapping the GITs wand, but Professor Lupin made him leave it with the greasy bastard. Sirius Black was innocent! Peter Pettigrew was captured! Win-Win. Sirius offered to let Harry come and live with him, it was like all his wishes had come true. Now they just needed to get back to Hogwarts.

Then Professor Lupin began to change… No, no, no. Sirius transformed into the big black dog and came between the Werewolf and the others. But he was overmatched. Just as the Werewolf began moving in on the kids, there was a howl far off in the woods. The Werewolf looked over, then bounded off to find the source. In all the confusion, Peter Pettigrew got away. Then they saw the Dementors overhead. Converging on a point nearby.

Harry suddenly realised Sirius was in danger! He took off toward where the Dementors were at top speed, eager to save his godfather. There in the clearing was Sirius Black, the Dementors were feeding on him. It was horrific to watch. Harry charged out and summoned a Patronus mist to shield them, but the foul creatures soon broke through. As the monsters fed, Harry began to black out. Harry felt the presence in his scar first encourage the Dementors, then tell them to stop. Unfortunately, they were like sharks in a frenzy and there was no stopping. Just before the blackness closed in, he saw an image of his father and a bright light rushing forward to protect him.

When Harry awoke, he was in the infirmary. He was told that Sirius Black had been captured by Snape and was to be executed in the morning. Snape was to receive an Order of Merlin for his troubles. Harry tried to tell everyone that Sirius was innocent, but no one would listen to him. Snape claimed Black had befuddled the witnesses and they were not to be trusted. This was pure murder. Dumbledore gave Harry and Hermione a hint and left. Hermione took the hint and, using a time tuner, she and Harry went back in time exactly one hour.

First, they saved Buckbeak. Then, Hermione called out to the Werewolf, saving their earlier selves. Buckbeak defended them from Professor Lupin, thankfully. That would have been ugly. Finally, they watched as Harry and Sirius were being fed upon by the Dementors. Harry held off on casting the Patronus because he wanted to see his dad. But his dad never showed. When he finally cast the spell, there was no resistance from the evil in his scar. None. Zero. It was like it **wanted** Harry to save himself. The Patronus that leapt from his wand was huge and powerful. Pure magical power. Good magical power. Harry felt his scar recede quite a bit. He knew it would not allow this again. Minimal resistance. He was flooded with memories of working with his mother in his sleep. Of using spells and 'talents' that he had previously never remembered using. How much was left to be unlocked without the damn scar!

The Dementors were driven off. A handful actually combusted, exploding into horrific clouds of filth. He watched as Snape, the coward, emerged and came to secure them. He then took Sirius to a prison tower and Harry to the infirmary. Hermione noted that he was NOT gentle with either of the unconscious wizards. But time was short. After Sirius was left alone, they swooped in and saved him. Sirius took Buckbeak and flew off for parts unknown. They barely made it back to the infirmary in time.

The evening feast the next day was joyous, as Gryffindor won the house cup to go along with the Quidditch cup. Unfortunately, Harry and his friends were not really in the mood. Snape had behaved horribly again and gotten away with it. He would have killed Sirius if he had been given the chance. He tried to have him executed in the most foul and painful way possible. It was attempted murder! Why did Dumbledore always cover for the bastard? Sirius was off for parts unknown, leaving Harry at the Dursleys. Ron was limping around on a freshly healed leg. Give the boy credit, he was tough.

Hermione had been disillusioned over the whole event. Her respect for the staff, authority, and adults in general, was greatly diminished. Harry secretly thought this might serve her well in the long run. Harry had a glimpse at some of what was locked away in his head, it was amazing. He knew he could recall details under stress and even new spells from time to time, but the memories of the learning were clearer this year than ever before, but still somewhat 'foggy'. If only he could get rid of the 'thing' in his scar. He WOULD talk to Bill about it. Next year would be the BEST year yet. What could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Notes
> 
> OK – close to Canon at the end. A few notable points:
> 
> Harry now knew he has massive knowledge blocked away in his head. He had been drawing on it, but it' wasn't the same as fully integrating with it. Right now, he just reconnected with his knowledge whenever he needed it again through a book or in class. Or when he was under stress. But much of what Lily bequeathed to him was never learned at Hogwarts. With the diminished Horcrux, he made huge strides in absorbing the knowledge, but there was much more there beyond elemental spears and magical 'talents'.
> 
> The Horcrux receded and allowed him to cast the 'super Patronus' because it did not want to be destroyed in the Dementor feeding frenzy. Self-preservation, but it actually hurt itself doing it.
> 
> Susan Bones and Neville Longbottom have made contact, re-affirming their family alliances. More on that later.
> 
> Harry planned to talk about his cursed scar with Bill. His mother's incarnation was against his telling anyone, but he disagreed. It was hard to keep a secret like this for so long. His conversations with his mother were not completely clear when he was awake, somewhat foggy. He just knew she was against it.
> 
> Sirius was free and we are fully aligned with canon there.
> 
> Ginny is the new rising Quidditch star of Gryffindor and will shine all on her own. It gives her a bit of popularity and puts the last year behind her. You can assume she had regular therapy sessions while at school and now has the confidence to match her talent.
> 
> Harry HATES Snape. As he should. This is NOT a Snape repentance story. The man is horrible to Harry and is a god awful teacher.
> 
> I haven't been detailing the interactions with Harry and the incarnation of his mother as much as in some of the previous chapters. The knowledge has mostly been passed on, he just can't access it yet. At this point, more is happening while he is awake. In year four, that may change.


	10. Chapter 10

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fourth year will be split between having 'summary' chapters and detailed entries focusing more on where divergence from Canon occurs. Each chapter will be less summary. I do not want to re-tell what most readers already know, but I will spotlight where divergence occurs. The more time goes by, the greater the divergence. Year five will be a full split.**

**Because after half the summer, Harry was once again in Egypt and because of this, a few things did NOT happen: Arthur Weasley did not explode out of the Dursley's fireplace. Fred and George did not trick Dudley into eating their 'joke candy'. This meant that the Dursleys really have not had much negative interaction with magic. Well, since the pig tail anyway... Harry was in Egypt when Voldemort killed Bertha Jorkins and Frank Bryce. Distance matters and between the distance and the damage to Harry's Horcrux, I'm saying Harry did not feel anything.**

**A few things that DID happen differently: Harry was picked up from the Dursley's by Bill Weasley who is used to dealing with Muggles and is pretty cool. Dudley's diet only applied to about a month of Harry's summer. Harry and Dudley actually bonded a bit. Dudley admitted to Harry that he and his mother think that Dumbledore had cursed them all. Harry still had an intense drive to study and become a career curse breaker, now he knew his next stop would be as a Journeyman and that was his primary focus. Harry continued his study plan from Bill that would get him through the fourth year and beyond. Harry was taking Runes and Arithmancy instead of Divination. Ron is also taking Ancient Runes instead of Divination.**

**Special thanks to 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and error correction.**

**-Dance of Death-**

**Chapter 10: A Busy Summer**

— **DoD—**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Dursley Residence**

**July 15, 1994**

Harry was finishing his packing. He would be away from the Dursleys for a year! First he would go with Bill to Diagon Alley, then he'd meet the Weasley family and head to the Quidditch World Cup. Bill was downstairs, working out the details with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Bill was the best at this kind of interaction. The man was the personification of cool. Vernon had agreed, but Aunt Petunia was hesitant. She had actually made an attempt to be nice. Of late, she began working in the garden with Harry. She had said something about getting closer… and Vernon did not argue with her. Maybe the scar was finally dying. Then he would have full access to his Dream Knowledge. He had touched it last year with the casting of the Patronus, but now it was once more a hazy memory.

He had been working with his mum all summer during his dream training (as he called it). They had focused on internal magic called Talents, on Charms, and on Elemental theory. He had mastered most of the charms she knew as well as developing a deep understanding of the elemental wheel and how it worked.

Apparently Harry had a deep affinity toward the element of Wood that came from the time he spent gardening – which he still loved. If you had to have an affinity, Wood was apparently the best. It was the unifying element that pulled the others together. Almost no books mentioned Wood as part of the elemental wheel, focusing mainly on Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. But his mum taught him what the element of Wood really is. That it is the most important of them all. It Grows in the earth and prevents erosion, it absorbs and oxygenate the air, it consumes and filters the water, and it provides sustenance for the flame… Wood is the source of Unity for the elements and the centre of the elemental wheel. It represented balance and unity. One day, he knew he would be able to tap into that knowledge. One day soon he hoped.

When he was awake, he was studying from the curse-breaker books Bill had sent him. The one from his grandfather was the best by far. He had also greatly improved his Rune-carving skills. He had placed quite a few in and around his room for privacy. He now knew exactly when any of the Dursleys were about to enter his room. He has privacy Runes spread around to ensure he was never heard, and security Runes to keep anyone from finding the stash of food that was getting him through Dudley's diet.

The Smeltings nurse had written and had notified Harry's Aunt and Uncle that Dudley was obese. After all kinds of arguments and tantrums, Dudley was put on a diet, and everyone had to eat the healthy food. Harry needed extra calories, so he sent out a call for aid and was rewarded with all kinds of food. It ranged from snacks to sweets and even pies. He had a few random snacks and one loaf of fruit cake left – the good kind that Mrs. Weasley made. Well, Dudley had actually been decent to him, maybe a peace offering was in order.

Quietly walking across the hall, Harry gently knocked on Dudley's door. After a minute, Dudley opened it. The boy looked positively awful. "Hey, Harry. Does mum want me?" Harry noted that he sounded crazy depressed. The diet was working, but it was not something Dudley was enjoying.

"No, Big D. I just thought I would leave these with you. PLEASE don't tell on me…" Dudley just stared at the snacks and especially the cake. Now Harry was a little nervous. Dudley could really screw things up if he told on him. What was he thinking? He probably should have just thrown the cake away.

"Harry… ", Dudley suddenly pulled Harry in for a Hug… then he whispered, "Thank you! I can't believe you would help me out… After everything… Thank you, Harry." Harry was too stunned to dodge or move. He was half expecting Dudley to pick him up and throw him. Never in a thousand years did he expect… this. Dudley was actually tearing up. Nothing made Harry more uncomfortable than tears.

"It's OK Big D. Listen, I'll try to send you a few more. You know, to get you through. Just look for owls at the window. And don't tell your parents!" Harry was slowly released from the bear hug.

"Thanks, Harry." Dudley looked very thoughtful for a minute. "Listen, me and mum talked and we think there's been a spell on you. Making us all act so bad. That Dumbleman guy, the one that dresses like a clown. We think he did it. Seriously, everything is different when you aren't around. Now that we know we've been cursed, we're ready for it. Things will be different from now on. I promise, Harry." Dudley still had one of his enormous 'meat hooks' on Harry's shoulder. Wow. All it took was a fruit cake.

Harry decided he would send more, but not enough to completely derail the diet. Maybe a pie or two a week. No scar flare up… maybe everything was going to be better. Was this how it was always supposed to be with Dudley? A big 'goofy' hulk of a brother as opposed to a menacing bully?

"Thanks, Dudley. Well, I gotta go, but we'll catch up next summer."

"Yeah. Listen Harry, you can write me at Smelting's. I'll have mum send the address. But no owls! That's a little too weird, you know?" And yes, Harry did know. It could be weird.

"OK, I can find a way. One of my friends has normal parents, she writes them all the time. There's got to be a way. I may have her send some food, but don't expect anything with sugar, her parents are dentists." Harry said that with a smirk. To his surprise, Dudley laughed.

"Harry, I was one day from eating my own foot! I'll take anything." They both laughed at that. "Here, let me carry your trunk down." They walked over and Dudley actually lifted it up to carry it downstairs. With an odd look on his face, he said, "This is so light. Even empty it should weigh more than this…"

"Oh, sorry. It's charmed," Harry had forgotten that little tidbit.

"Cool. But don't tell Dad. He still freaks out about this kind of stuff." Thinking for a minute, he added, "Not so much lately, though. Must be that curse wearing off." Dudley then put on the act of struggling with the weight. No academy awards here. Dudley was a horrible actor.

Coming down stairs, Bill was entertaining Aunt Petunia with talk of the Nile and how Agatha Christie was brilliant in her depiction. Even Uncle Vernon seemed to be enjoying it all. Bill could sell snow to an Eskimo and sand to a sheik.

Aunt Petunia came over to actually say goodbye. "Now, be careful in Egypt, Harry. Don't drink any water unless it is in a sealed container and don't eat any bugs." Seeing Dudley struggling with the 'crazy heavy' trunk, she added, "Dudley, so nice of you to help Harry. Don't hurt yourself, though."

Uncle Vernon then did the unthinkable. He held out his hand to Harry. Harry took his hand and just looked at his Uncle. Apparently the diet was actually working on him too. "Harry, don't go anywhere without a guide and avoid beggars. They steal." Thinking for a minute, he pulled out his wallet. "Here, take this. Emergency money." He handed Harry fifty pounds. Harry just stared at it a minute. You could hear a pin drop.

"Thanks Uncle Vernon. I'll avoid beggars and lunatics." Everyone just laughed. What the hell? Who were these people and what did they do with the Dursley's?

Petunia had the final word as Harry and Bill set off. "William has promised to bring you back before you head to that school of yours. We'll celebrate your birthday and tend the garden a bit."

"Thanks…" was all Harry could manage. Something had changed.

Bill was smart enough to have a taxi waiting. Normal. Perfect.

They proceeded down the street to Arabella Figg's house down the street. Bill paid the driver and they headed inside.

"Bill, why are we stopping at Mrs. Figg's house?"

"Well, we aren't driving to London, Harry. Don't sweat it, Mrs. Figg is a squib. We can floo from here to Diagon Alley. Hey, once we get a minute, I want to understand more about your relatives. They seem to really mistrust Dumbledore. They're not as bad as I had expected."

Bill knocked and Mrs. Figg brought them inside. There was a new litter of kittens. Most were over by the mother, but a solid black one was sleeping in the corner. "Hello William, Harry. Please do come in. I'm sorry, but we have a new litter and I've been a bit too busy to prepare."

Harry snapped out of his silence. "Mrs. Figg, I didn't know you were a part of our world…" Harry had almost said Squib but thought better of it.

"Yes, Harry. But that really does not matter now. At least you know you can come by occasionally… and discuss topics you can't at home. I would have told you sooner, but Dumbledore was afraid it would upset your Aunt and Uncle." Pausing for a moment she added, "Best not to tell them I think."

Bill chimed in at this point, "So, kittens. What's with the black one?"

Mrs. Figg darkened at that. "Kneazles, actually. And solid colour Kneazles never survive. The magic is there, but the… mind. The spirit… never really forms. Only the solid ones fail to live. Black or white. Happens with nearly every litter", she added sadly as she picked up the tiny black kitten and began stroking it as it just lay there. "I just try to make them comfortable until they pass on."

Harry thought that was heart breaking. "I'm sorry Mrs. Figg. Maybe I can help with your next litter. I'm good with animals, and I can hold and love the solid ones." He really wanted to help. Mrs. Figg seemed to think that was touching and thanked Harry.

They made some small talk over the next fifteen minutes, then Bill led Harry to the fire and they went off to Diagon Alley. Harry had learned a lot about both his relatives and Mrs. Figg. This was sure to be a year to remember.

— **DoD—**

**Diagon Alley**

**Bell's Restaurant**

They had managed to get all the books and equipment that was needed for this summer's curse-breaking studies. Ragnok made a big show of support and personally took Harry to his vault. Apparently, that was never done. Harry really liked Ragnok and discussed the different Rune carving methods he had learned. Ragnok especially enjoyed hearing about Harry's low opinion of the ministry Potions class, History, and noting that curse breaking should be a NEWT study. Most of which Ragnok wholeheartedly agreed upon. Harry had grown a bit since last year and had to have a new suit made for him. Harry asked about casual suits and uniforms, to which Ragnok just smiled and said, "We don't do casual at Gringotts."

Apparently, the suits were made to flex with movement – you could literally do gymnastics in them. When done, just adjust your tie and re-tucking your shirt. The suit would look exactly as it had on the hanger. Ragnok threw in a few extra books before sending Harry and Bill on their way.

Harry and Bill were sitting at a back table in the corner of 'Bell's', enjoying Shepherd's pie and butterbeer. Katie had come by and shared that Oliver Wood had been recruited to Puddlemere United's reserve team. She went to check on other tables and Bill decided it was as good a time as any to discuss a few issues. Bill started the discussion with a 'light' topic.

"So, Harry, any witches chasing you? That Katie seemed nice."

Harry blushed a bit. "Well, not really. I made a few new friends though. Katie is on the Quidditch team. Neville and Susan's families have been allies with the Potters for centuries and we've started getting to know each other better. Well, Neville and I were already friends, but Susan was new. I kind of like her and we have been writing each other a lot this summer. She wanted to have me over, but I told her I was in Egypt. She wants me to bring her a souvenir. Then there is Hermione. She is brilliant. I think Ron likes her too though…"

"Ouch. That can be awkward. But don't let awkward keep you from being with people you kind of like, you know what I mean?" Bill then shared stories with Harry of his time in Hogwarts and the witches he chased. Some were chased by others as well. Bill had even gotten into a few fights over a girl. But not one who was already seeing someone. That's just wrong.

After this, Bill turned to 'moderate' topics.

"So, Harry. You are very popular with the Goblins. I do want to warn you to be careful there. Ragnok is a good mentor, but he has an 'axe' to grind with the Wizarding community. Most goblins do, actually. Don't tell him anything you wouldn't want repeated. It could come back on you."

Harry realised he may have been a bit 'lax' in editing his comments. "Good to know, thanks, Bill." He'd think hard before saying anything else.

Finally, Bill started on the 'Heavy' topics.

"Harry, why are your relatives so… I don't know. Hot and cold. They seem odd around you, but they absolutely hate Dumbledore. Fred and George say they hated you too, but I don't really see it. More like they're uncomfortable around you. Can you share with me why?" If there were problems at home, Bill knew he had to tread very lightly. He said 'uncomfortable', but he meant 'guilty'.

"Well… They think Dumbledore cursed them. To hate me."

"Why would they think that, Harry?" Now Bill was getting to it. "Hold on a second." He put up a 'Muffliato' Privacy charm. No need to share any of this. "OK – now, why do they think Dumbledore cursed them?" Harry was squirming around. Bill suspected this had to do with the other topic to discuss. The 'animosity curse'.

"Well, this is a long story." And Harry told it. From being so poorly treated his whole life all the way through until today, where the Dursleys are beginning to act… normal. He covered the cupboard he used to sleep in. The massive chores that now somehow get done all by themselves – at night. The beatings Dudley used to give him. The fact that he ALWAYS had food. How Uncle Vernon would glaze over and go eat when he got mad at Harry. The lies about his parents. Then how the last month had been… not so bad. How shocked he was to hear they wanted to celebrate his birthday even. He ended it with "It's really my scar's fault."

"What do you mean, Harry?"

Harry took a deep breath. He had never shared any of this. He knew his 'dream mother' did not want him to share. "Right before people turn on me, my scar tightens up. Hurts. Then I see people start to act differently to me. Meaner. Like they can't stand me and I can't do anything right. Some people are immune, like Ginny and Hermione. Most aren't. Most start to hate me, like Ron and Draco. Others seem to hate themselves, like Neville and Professor Flitwick. It normally blocks some of my access to my magic, but not when it thinks I might get killed. But it seems to have gotten a lot better lately."

Bill decided not to tell him he had felt 'it' too, once. "So, things have changed. What do you think caused it?"

Two things helped, "The Basilisk venom hurt it bad, and so did my casting the Patronus last year. I have not felt it tighten up since the last Patronus I cast. I hope that means it's dead… but I don't think so."

"Why not, Harry? What makes you think it is still affecting you?" Slow and easy. Don't force it. Get Harry to open up.

"I still can't access all my magic. I can do things, Bill. Amazing things. But it's like I forget how. When I cast that Patronus, I saw my own mind and it is full of knowledge. Knowledge my mum somehow passed on…" Careful! Don't say too much! Mum is off limits. "Anyway. I just know it is still there."

Bill thought hard about all he had heard. It definitely sounded sentient. Blocking Harry's magic and knowledge? That sounds like a parasite feeding off him. How on earth could his mother have given him knowledge? OK, he now had a new project.

"Well, sounds like you need some help." Bill noted Harry become downcast, then he smiled and quickly added, "Do you happen to know any really good curse-breakers? Preferably red heads?" Harry knew immediately he had made the right decision. Bill would help him.

Harry felt so much relief. He actually started crying. Right at the table, in public. Bill realised how hard this must have been for him. He guessed Harry had never told anyone this. Bill reached out and put his hand on Harry's shoulder,

"It's OK Harry. We're in this together. I swear to you, I will stand by your side and help you through this."

Something shifted. They both felt it. Magic took Bills words and sealed the 'vow'. Bill did not mind. He meant it. On the bright side, maybe this would help him resist whatever this curse was. He suspected a life debt with Ginny and Hermione had made them resistant, but he doubted they were immune. OK. Now, he needed to determine who else knew or had figured it out. Also, what the hell caused it? Based on timing and the fact that it is in the scar, it could only be one person… Voldemort.

"Hey, listen to me Harry. We'll get through it. But for now, whatever 'it' is, it's dormant and we have an amazing summer planned. Right? And anytime you want to talk, we can." Bill turned on the charm.

Harry just smiled. To say he was very relieved would be an immense understatement. He finally had someone he could talk about it with. Someone he trusted who would not run screaming to Dumbledore or McGonagall.

"Thanks, Bill. You'll never know what this means to me."

"All good, Harry. Now, eat up. We have a portkey to catch. Next stop, Cairo."

On their way out, Harry scheduled and paid for Shepherds pies to be delivered to Dudley's window on Tuesday's and Thursdays each week throughout the summer. That should make the big guy happy.

— **DoD—**

**Cairo, Egypt**

**International Portkey Arrival Point**

Bill and Harry landed in Egypt and made their way to the local portkey travel point. Harry picked up a large number of postcards and stamps for Hermione and Dudley. From there they went to the latest dig site. It was a newly discovered pyramid. Smaller than the great pyramids, of course, but still impressive. And absolutely buried in the sand. A comp site had been set up and they had just jumped straight in. Examining the wards, reviewing the runes and hieroglyphs, and just building a strategy to access the site.

Harry would help with food preparation each day as he both enjoyed cooking and was good at it. Between kitchen duties, he worked on Rune carving and shadowed Bill as he worked through different ways to bypass what appeared to be lethal wards. Harry could 'feel' curses and he identified two hieroglyphic clusters that felt 'wrong'. This saved the team a tremendous amount of time and earned him the nickname 'Bloodhound'. Harry frequently wondered why everyone in the wizarding world had to give him a nick name. He wrote weekly to Susan, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Remus and even Dudley. When he had privacy, he shot off a few letters to Sirius as well, but he had to be careful there. Letters addressed to Sirius Black were probably not something others should see. Sirius knew not to respond until Harry told him to.

Harry was actually holding his own in the discussions and analysis. At first, the team was surprised, then they heard he was Charlus Potter's grandson and it somehow became 'expected'. He learned more in that one month period than in a year at Hogwarts. Hands on learning really closed the loop with the academic learning. Why wasn't this done more? Everything just came together. Each night, he practiced his occlumency and stored away his memories. He also dreamed of going over the events in his dreamscape with his mum and kicking around ideas. He couldn't remember the details through the haze, but he had the feeling she was brilliant.

Bill was an amazing teacher. He was demanding, but very fair minded. He loved answering questions in a way that made Harry come to his own conclusion. On more than one occasion, Bill actually wrote down what Harry was saying. Apparently, it was a different take on a common issue. Bill assigned one of his unique answers back to him for writing up his Journeyman thesis. Apparently, it was 'ground-breaking' in its simplicity.

Once the team finally got into the tomb, it turned out to be a bit of a let-down. It appeared to have been raided at some point in the past. They collected what was left and began packing things up when Harry sensed something 'off'. Apparently, one of the walls had an odd 'feel' to it... Harry shifted his perception and saw that the wall was false. He alerted Bill to the situation immediately. The other members of the expedition were polite, but sceptical. Harry just reached out and mentally started moving the astral 'threads' holding the secret area closed. With a gentle click, the wall swung open.

Bill immediately leapt in front of Harry and put up a 'Protego' but nothing happened. Harry immediately knew he had screwed up. Never just open a door. Honestly, he did not really intend to open it, but he knew it might open.

Everyone was staring at the now opened hidden door. No one else knew how it opened, but Harry came clean. "I'm sorry. I think I did that. I… felt the magic and reached out to it. This was my fault." He'd rather face the music and get chewed out than be a liar.

Bill looked angry and a bit shocked. "We'll discuss this later." Then the team began examining the new room. It was a good find after all. Plenty of gold and a few enchanted objects. They sorted them out and catalogued the unique treasure. Some of it was especially beautiful. Other elements just had basic monetary value. Bill received his 10%, which was impressive. He gave Harry 15% of his earnings, or 1.5% of the total.

Harry got his pick and he chose a seemingly simple amber orb that he felt a small connection to.

That night, Bill refused to discuss Harry's mistake, saying he wanted to sleep on it. In the morning,

Harry got up early to prepare for breakfast, but Bill called him over. "OK, Harry, I already told everyone breakfast would be late." In a very calm and even voice, he said, "Now, let's talk."

Bill looked at Harry. He could see Harry begin to look ashamed. Bill knew this was a neglected/abused young man/child eager to prove himself. He thought about this discussion all night. 'Don't beat down an already beaten down child, but make sure it never happens again.' He thought about how his dad might approach this.

"Alright. You screwed up. You put everyone's life in danger, but especially your own. The fact is, your mistake is my mistake, but I don't really know how you did what you did." Harry started to say something, but Bill waved him off. "Look, you have unusual talents, but the basic safety principals still apply. Move slow, stay alert, share your findings, exercise caution, the unknown will kill you. You failed to do any of these things. Tell me what you were thinking."

"I heard the others say the expedition was a failure and I wanted to help. I can sometimes see magic, so I scanned the room. I saw a… latch. I let my curiosity get the better of me and I 'tweaked' the threads around the door. If it was magically cursed, I would have known it. Those threads are pretty malicious looking. But I didn't think about what was behind the door."

"Harry. You told me you sensed something on the wall. That was good. Then you quietly started 'poking' at it. That was insanely dangerous. Were you trying to 'save the day'? Please be honest now."

"Yes, but not to be a hero. To prove myself. So you would know I was worth it. Worth your time. The others too." There. Harry felt relieved and embarrassed. No secrets. It is what it is.

"You don't need to prove yourself, Harry. I already know you. We'll talk more about that 'seeing magic' bit later. For now, don't share that. No one needs to know about that. Let me share a few stories of my own with you." Bill rolled up his left sleeve.

Bill showed Harry a particularly ugly scar on his left arm. "Babylonian dig. I broke a 'beam of light' and triggered an incendiary Rune." He next took off his shirt and showed a jagged scar on his torso. "A souvenir from a Hittite tomb. I opened a chest without checking for traps on the bottom." Bill seemed to get angry just thinking about it. "Stupid, stupid, stupid. Who puts Runes on the bottom of a chest? The Hittites do, that's who. I had to move back home for a month and have my mum care for me. The food was good, but the shame was horrible. That was my last careless error. Learn from my mistakes Harry. You have far more potential than anyone I know, but I'd like to see you live long enough to realise it."

Finally, Bill shared a few stories that were somewhat legendary among curse-breakers. It was a listing of stupid mistakes with horrific results. Apparently all curse breakers know about these historical disasters. Most were caused by lack of sleep or lack of sense. Sometimes both. Either way, they resulted in loss of life. One by one, they discussed the action that caused the catastrophes and how they could have been easily prevented.

Bill finally wrapped up with, "Next time, you'll know to communicate and wait before poking around. Still, finding that door saved the dig. We are all under a standard contract, when an expedition nets nothing, it is considered a loss and the entire team ends up having to help pay the costs proportional to the percentage that would have been awarded. That's pretty standard and helps keep costs down. No one wants to over spend when they could end up covering the expenses. You know what I mean? Finding that room saved all of us a lot of galleons." Bill saw a bit of pride return to his apprentice and smiled at him. This had been a good conversation.

"OK, go make breakfast, then we'll talk about different Runic combinations we could have used today and why we didn't."

Harry prepared the victory breakfast. Afterward, he made a point to apologise to the other members of the expedition party and assured them he would not let anything like that happen again. Most shrugged it off and thanked him for finding the door. A few repeated what Bill had said earlier and showed their own scars of carelessness. They all seemed to like Harry more for admitting his mistake. So different from Hogwarts.

One of the older curse-breakers, Mr. Franklin, actually offered to bring Harry on a future dig when he got out of school. He liked the potential in him. Bill later told Harry that the man was a Master curse-breaker and was evaluating Bill to prepare him for a mastery exam in a year or two. He had apparently taken Bill aside and asked him about how he addressed the issue. Bill said he had been impressed and was glad he had not squelched Harry's 'enthusiasm'. He did ask how Harry managed to open the door without moving or touching it in any way. Bill admitted to saying Harry had 'Potter talents' and instinctively used wandless magic. That's all Bill would share with the other members of the expedition.

The expedition had a fun party that night. Bill moderated his own celebration to ensure Harry stayed away from the 'strong stuff'. His dad had really let into him last year. It was rare for Arthur Weasley to get mad, but when he did… Harry was allowed two glasses of champagne and, an hour later, shot of fire whiskey. After that, just butterbeer. They all had a great time. The expedition members all proceeded to pack up in the morning after a light breakfast and headed to the Portkey site. Harry now had one more expedition was under his belt. He would have the field work needed for Journeyman before he graduated Hogwarts at this rate.

Time to visit the Burrow.

— **DoD—**

**The Burrow**

**August 24**

Bill and Harry returned to the Burrow and celebrated Harry's Birthday. He was buried in sweets and joke gifts. Hermione gave him a study plan, which Harry promptly converted to a curse-breaker Journeyman study plan. Hermione seemed to approve. They also talked Ancient Runes and what would be covered this year. Harry was in a more advanced group than Hermione, so he agreed to tutor her. Ron gave Harry a set of chess figures that he could carry on his own for future games. They were based on the Egyptian Pantheon with Osiris as the King and Isis as the Queen. Harry wondered what had happened to Ra. Shaking off useless curiosity, Harry promised to play a game that very night. Bill gave him a very nice set of wand holsters. one for each arm and one for his boot. The two for his wrists were enchanted with protection spells for the wands, notice me not to prevent alarm among wizards and questions among muggles. Both were dragon hide, so they would resist summoning charms. with practice, Bill said he could flick the wand out almost instantly. Like he had done when Harry opened the secret door. He gave Harry two since Harry frequently alternated wand hands. Also, good if Harry ever got a second wand. The one for his boot was enchanted to fit anything from a dagger to a wand. 'Padfoot' sent him a ring that was worn on the first or the last finger and extended on command through the hand and out the other end, where it formed into a small, but wicked, hooked knife. Something called a Karambit. It was apparently made of goblin steel and quite deadly. It had the Black family crest on it. Harry just laughed and said, "Leave it to 'Padfoot' to throw in a weapon." Molly wanted to know who this 'Padfoot' was, but Harry just said a friend he met in school. He made sure not to show the 'knife' to any of the adults. He might need it.

Harry brought a gift to Ginny as her birthday was a few weeks ago (August 11). It was a pair of boots designed for broom riding. Whether it made a difference or not, they looked nice. Bill knew her size, so they fit. Hermione was also there and made over the boots. Ginny and Hermione had begun building a solid friendship.

Harry started talking about curse-breaking with Hermione and Ron. Hermione seemed interested, but Ron thought it was too 'academic'. Harry explained about Rune clusters and how different they were in application from what the books stated, something that really got Hermione's attention. Ron just yawned. He was struggling with Ancient Runes and barely squeaking out an 'Acceptable' in the class. Hermione was constantly riding him to do his homework. Harry was glad to be in a more advanced class and away from the Ron/Hermione drama.

The twins seemed to be off on their own the whole time. Apparently they were trying to come up with a way to get a business started. Harry thought they would be exceptional at that. The stuff they threw together in their bedroom was better than Zonko's by far. Maybe he'd invest. Harry made a point to try to discuss with them in the future. But first, the Quidditch World Cup!

— **DoD—**

**Somewhere in Scotland**

**Quidditch World Cup**

The Quidditch World Cup was amazing! The tents were stretched out and the parties seemed to go all night. The Weasley's really took out all stops and Harry thought this was the greatest sports event he had ever seen. The game was great, but the parties in the camp ground was even better. Crazy hats, omnioculars, face paint, fried food, and just pure insanity… Amazing. They all talked Quidditch non-stop. Even Hermione engaged and discussed the statistics and probabilities in the game. She must have prepped for this! Harry loved the way Hermione approached problems.

Surprisingly, Harry actually enjoyed talking to Ginny the most. She really was good at seeing the plays and the patterns. Just like Harry was good at tracking the snitch. Ron could be very strategic, but Ginny seemed to understand Quidditch at a different level. It reminded him a bit of Oliver Wood, but from a chaser's point of view. This year would be really great! Honestly, Harry thought Ginny was as good as or better than Katie or Angelina. She ran circles around Alicia, who was more of a linear player. Harry could easily see Ginny bumping Alicia to the reserves. Harry took a small amount of delight in that as he was still a bit angry over the 'boil curse' from his second year.

The Veela, and their allure, were something Harry had never experienced before. He almost climbed over the rail to get to them. Hermione teased him a bit, and he decided that he would never again be so… easily influenced. The next time they came out, he was able to resist them. It just took a bit of willpower. Ron and the twins, unfortunately, lacked the ability to resist. They all looked so foolish just standing there drooling. Ginny and Hermione just smirked. They both realised Harry had resisted and nodded appreciatively. As amazing as the Veela were, Krum had them beat with his aerial acrobatics. The man was a natural flier, just like Harry. Unlike Harry, he had been intensely trained. Watching Krum pull off a Wronski Feint was educational and Harry couldn't wait to try it.

That night had ended in violence and a group of people marauding as Death eaters roved around and burned the camp site up. Draco was seen smirking and threatening, but he was all talk. Harry had lost his wand in the chaos and it had been used to summon Voldemort's symbol in the sky. Just seeing it made him furious. No doubt there was one over his house thirteen years ago. They got a glimpse of the caster, but he got away. The Aurors and ministry officials showed up and made a fuss of the situation. One guy even accused Harry of casting the mark!

Mr. Diggory, Cedric's father, was throwing accusations around and making a fool of himself. Pure pandemonium. These guys were really scared and not thinking straight. Barty Crouch, head of international something or another, even fired his poor house elf because she found Harry's wand. No wonder Voldemort was able to rise to power, these guys were clowns. In the back of his head, he thought they may have just been experiencing a relapse of loss and fear. But they couldn't stop pointing the fingers at others. Harry was eager to get away from them.

— **DoD—**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Dursley Residence**

**August 29, 1994**

Harry then went to the Dursley's where he was actually treated decently. They had a small cake for him and a few actual presents. Dudley had taken him aside and thanked him for the pies. "Best Shepherd's pie ever! You got me through the summer, Harry!" He had also made a point to tell Harry that Piers and his friends would leave him alone. It was nice. Dudley had lost a lot of weight, as had Uncle Vernon. Still large, but less fat. Finally, Dudley gave Harry his address at Smelting's.

Harry opened his gifts and was given a new set of clothes – no hand me downs. New sneakers. A set of pens for school. And finally, a set of golf clubs. Uncle Vernon wanted to take Harry golfing with Dudley next summer. Harry was speechless. Real gifts. Nice gifts. Expensive gifts. He thanked them all for everything. At dinner, he shared his stories of Egypt and the heat of the desert. Egypt was amazing, but he still preferred England. Everyone seemed to approve of that statement.

Harry mentioned the fact that he would have to sneak the pens to school because they write with feathers. Uncle Vernon scoffed at that. Harry agreed, saying he hated writing with quills and really thought it was ridiculous that they couldn't use pens or pencils in class. The Dursley's seemed stunned that Harry would say that. Something negative about the magical world. Harry opened up and said a lot more. About how he'd rather travel in a car than through a fireplace. About how dirty it was and disorienting. He talked about the corruption in the government and how people could just buy their way out of prison. He shared a lot actually - all the things he had seen that did not sit well with him. Uncle Vernon in particular began to open up to Harry. As if seeing him in a new light. He even told a joke or two… that were actually funny!

Uncle Vernon then said he had one more gift. Taking Harry out into the Garage, he showed him a pile of parts. "This, Harry, is your next summer project. A Triumph Bonneville Corsair! Dudley will have one too, I figure the two of you can put them together and ride around…" Vernon then muttered something about checking riding laws and age restrictions, but the point was clear. Harry would have a motorcycle. Like Sirius. Harry actually hugged his uncle for the first time in his life. Uncle Vernon stiffened up for a minute, then relaxed.

Uncle Vernon also thanked Harry for the pies. Apparently, he caught Dudley eating one and the two of them started splitting the deliveries. Uncle Vernon and Dudley had been enjoying them tremendously and waiting for the owl each Tuesday and Thursday night. He ended with, "Don't tell Tuni!" Shaking his head and smiling.

Maybe, just maybe, the Dursley's were OK.

On September 1, Harry was delivered to Kings Cross and they all said their good-byes. He had purchased his school supplies before returning to the Dursley family and he was all set. The train ride was uneventful, but Neville, Ginny, and Susan had joined the 'trio' in a train cabin. Hannah and Ernie joined Susan about an hour into the trip. Eight was a good number, but there was no more room. They all talked and laughed as they headed to the school. Draco walked by with his goons, but seemed strangely uninterested in causing trouble. Harry began to wonder how much misery his cursed scar had brought him. Creating enemies, alienating him, turning his family against him… Now that it was dormant, things seemed so much better.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Year**

Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Harry entered the great hall. They were soaked thanks to Peeves and his water balloons. Ron got it the worst. Harry used a warming spell on Hermione, but that just frizzed up her hair. In the end, they just decided to sit down and enjoy the feast. Colin Creevey told Harry that his brother was among the new students being sorted. Inwardly, Harry groaned. Hopefully Colin's brother would be calmer. Then the sorting started.

The hat sung a song Harry had never heard before. Apparently, it changed every year. Harry realised he missed second year and didn't even remember third year – what with the Dementor attack and all. Sure enough, Dennis was sorted into Gryffindor. Colin brought him over to introduce him to Harry. Harry politely welcomed him, then the brothers went down to sit with the other, younger, students.

The students all began eating at the end of the sorting once Dumbledore proclaimed that they should "Tuck in." The food was good, but Hermione had a bit of a fit when she heard there were House Elves at Hogwarts. Harry just day-dreamed and thought about wards schemes and Runic clusters. He especially loved the Minoan Runes which so many people did not know. Ron and Hermione were going at it. Ron accidentally spit food at Harry in his exuberance. Those two need a new referee. He caught Ginny's eye and they both just laughed. Then, Dumbledore began his announcements.

The usual restrictions were announced. Something about Filch… Ho-hum-bum... Forbidden forest… yada-yada-yadda…. Hogsmeade… third years… cha-cha-cha….No Quidditch…. WAIT, what? No Quidditch? "Ron, what did I miss?" Ron was perplexed too. "Hermione?"

Suddenly, amidst the indoor lightning, a man walked in. He looked like he had been through hell. Missing body parts. Scars all over his face. A spinning eye… Who was this man? And what about Quidditch? Dumbledore introduced him as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Moody. Ron recognised him as Mad-Eye-Moody.

Dumbledore went on to discuss that Hogwarts was hosting the next Tri-Wizard Tournament. Two other schools were invited to participate and compete. The other schools would be arriving in October. Glory and money. Apparently there was an age restriction of seventeen year old. The twins were looking for ways around that to get the money for their joke shop. Others were trying to come up with their own 'work around' solutions as well. Harry just wanted peace and quiet, plus a little Quidditch.

The next day, Harry and Ron got into it with Draco. The GIT was talking bad about Mrs. Weasley. Harry told him his mother looks like she smelled something bad and suggested it may be Draco. While walking away, Draco fired a spell at him. Professor Moody actually stepped in and turned Draco into a ferret! Too bad McGonagall was there, she made him change Malfoy back.

One of the DADA classes was especially intense. Professor Mooney demonstrated all the unforgivable curses. It was awful. It all started as fun and games with a spider, but it turned downright awful when it went to the Cruciatus and the Killing curse. Harry could now imagine clearer how his parents must have dies. No defence. When demonstrating the Imperious curse, Harry had been the only one able to throw it off. That seemed to surprise everyone. Professor Mooney just looked at him.

Harry spent a good bit of time meeting with and learning from Susan and Neville. Susan was really nice and down to earth. A bit of a gossip, but all the 'Puffs were like that. He brought her a miniature obelisk that mirrored a famous one discovered a decade ago on a Gringotts expedition. Neville was as quiet as ever and he just seemed to enjoy being around Harry. Harry felt the same way and made a point to include him.

Hermione seemed to think it was good for Harry to meet more people. Ron seemed jealous. Harry knew how easily Ron was threatened, but he also knew he had family responsibilities to think about. Ron needed to accept that Harry could have more than two friends. On the 19th, Harry put together a small party for Hermione in an unused class room. Harry invited Ron, Neville, Susan, Fred, George, and Ginny. Dobby and Winky helped prepare the room and cook the food. It was nice. Most of the gifts were sweets and quills. In addition, Harry had brought back an old tome from Egypt that Hermione seemed to really like. Their circle of friends was slowly expanding.

The only real annoying thing over September and October was Hermione's obsession with House Elves. She started a group called S.P.E.W. to call attention to house elf rights. Harry wore the badge, but he really just tuned her out and nodded whenever she would go on a tirade. A few students actually started wearing them for fun. Almost no one actually knew what the initials stood for, but that did not stop them from joking around and making retching noises when they read the initials. Harry wanted to be angry, but it was kind of funny.

On October 30th, the other schools arrived. It was amazing seeing different students from different schools. They were all so impressive. Harry hoped Hogwarts would win the tournament and show these other schools what they were made of. He had been summoned to Moody's office for a detention he had received for talking in class. He thought it was unfair, but he had gotten away with it enough times before that he'd just do the time. Suddenly, he saw a flash of red and he lost consciousness.

Professor Moody was standing over him holding a tiara of some sort. "Here we go Potter. Gotta feed the beast." He placed the Tiara on Harry and left it there for a good sixty seconds. Then, removing it, he looked at the headpiece and simply said, "Now, back where I got you". He then walked off.

Inside Harry's mind, he was with the incarnation of his mother. She was trying to hold the evil upstairs back. Trying, and losing. "Run, Harry! To the Vault! Quickly! There's two of them now!" They ran to the staircase, activated passageway, and fled to the vault. Harry could feel the evil presence pursing them.

Once in the vault, his mother reinforced it. "We are safe now, Harry. Safe. Harry, what happened? How did it find another? It's like your fourth year when you were pulled into the diary". She looked scared.

"I was in the hall way. I saw a flash of red light… then I was here. I think I was stunned."

"That makes sense, Harry. Be on guard, you will need to be constantly alert. Whoever did this will strike again." Thinking a bit, she added, "It will be like your second year. I'm sorry Harry, but you can't trust your friends. They will all turn on you. The protections on the outside are destroyed. Only the internal ones remain. This vault is our safe place."

They talked extensively. Harry knew his magic would be hindered and he would only be able to access second nature spells or spells he had already learned. He did not want to fight another Basilisk, but maybe a Patronus would help? The last year was so good. Why did it have to end?

Later that night, Harry came to. It was late and no one had found him. He made his way back to his dorm. Entering, he just went to his bed and collapsed. What happened? His dreams were nightmares. Trapped in an armoured room. Practicing combat spells. He knew something awful was coming. Something…

The next day was unusual. People seemed to be irritated with him at all times. He could brush his teeth and someone would take offense. His scar was constantly aching. Harry knew it was affecting everyone. The sour looks he was getting were just like his second year. Constant. He waited until everyone was gone, then he wrote a letter to Bill.

—

_Bill,_

_Something happened. My scar is in full force again. I was attacked in the halls and knocked out. When I woke up it started flaring again. Flaring as intensely as it did in my second year (constant). It's going to get very bad, very fast. Is there anything I can do?_

_Please help,_

_Harry._

_—-_

He gave the note to Hedwig and said, "Please hurry girl." She flew off immediately.

Harry skipped breakfast. He simply asked Dobby to bring him food and he hid in an alcove and ate. He did not want to see any of his friends now. He stayed out of sight. As unnoticed as possible. The few times someone saw him, they just got mad about any little thing. Thank god it was Saturday! He avoided almost everyone until dinner. He knew he had to go to the main hall for the drawing. Then he would scamper away and figure out his next move. No one really paid him much attention. He kept his head down. The champions were chosen. He was planning his rapid exit, when he heard his name. "Harry Potter…"

Suddenly, he was noticed. He felt the scar really pumping it's malice out… No-no-no-no-no. Harry walked up and Dumbledore looked at him with wide eyes. Harry noticed he looked first at the scar. "Go to the back, Harry." Dumbledore had very gently said.

Harry heard his classmates talking. "Cheater", "Filthy Liar", "Show-off", and so much worse... He looked over and saw Hermione just staring in disbelief. Ron and the twins were staring daggers at him. Angelina looked like she wanted to kill him. Looking over at his other friends, he saw Neville looking scared and Susan… Susan looked just as mad as Angelina. No. No. No.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:
> 
> A few notable things happened. Harry finally told someone about his scar. Someone who vowed to help him. Someone who had the skills to do just that. Harry is also getting to know the Dursley's as they are normally without the influence of the Horcrux. And they are beginning to open up to him as well. Imagine waking up and realising you have no reason to hate someone you have despised for over a decade. There is a lot of guilt there too. Hence the ridiculously large birthday. Yes, it was over the top, but not when you consider the fact that they have been collecting money to care for Harry, but never spent it on him. And the guilt had to be crushing. Remember, in this story, the Dursley's are victims' too. Dumbledore subjected them to the Horcrux with no real protections from its influence. For the greater good, he let them be influenced and protected other wizarding families. His reasons were valid, but not to the Dursley family.
> 
> And now we will slowly start splitting from Canon more and more. I'll follow the basic plot, but with twists that were not there. Having the Horcrux 're-activated' will be brutal for Harry, but it will shape him and temper him as well. He will emerge a lot stronger for it, but there will be a price. And everyone will have to pay that price eventually. The one constant will be Bill.


	11. Chapter 11

Harry walked through the door and proceeded below only to have a Beauxbaton student catch his eye and ask if they were being summoned. Harry felt a wave of the same magic the Veela at the world cup used, he was able to easily push it aside. Well, she definitely looked the part. Harry noticed how much taller and older the other champions were. He just stood there.

Before anyone could ask him any other questions, one of the ministry officials came rushing in and introduced him as the fourth contestant. Right as he said that, his scar flared up and he was suddenly afraid of being attacked. The other champions all seemed to become so angry.

The Beauxbaton champion started yelling and insulting him. She called him a joke. Victor Krum just glowered at him. Cedric went on a tirade about how this is a 'typical Potter' thing to do. Harry noted that the other paintings in the room were rushing about and whispering to each other. He mentally noted that he'd have to watch out for gossipy paintings. Was this a way that Dumbledore kept tabs on everyone?

Harry just stood there feeling the malice pulse out of his scar. He began muttering to himself, "Be strong, Harry. Don't show them any emotion. Be brave like mum and dad…" slowly, he just began repeating this to himself over and over. What started as mutterings became pure internal thought after the first cycle. This is what got him through his ten years with the Dursley's.

Occlumency! Something he learned in his dream training. Push the thoughts away…. Then, suddenly, Dumbledore came in with the other headmasters, Snape, McGonagall, and Mr. Crouch. As the door opened, Harry could hear the other students in the Great Hall, they sounded angry. Like a mob.

Dumbledore was accosted immediately by the other headmasters, Snape told them to direct their anger at 'Potter'. He openly accused Harry and pointed out that Harry was always breaking rules and making trouble. So much for being a responsible adult. Fucking Death eater. Harry looked to professor McGonagall for support. Professor McGonagall looked at him with stunned bewilderment, then open irritation. Harry knew the scar was in full force, but he had hoped… He was on his own.

Dumbledore approached him and very calmly asked, "Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" There was no aggressiveness or accusation. Just a simple and calm question. Thank god. Everyone became silent. All eyes were on Harry.

Harry responded with a very intense, " _No._ "

Dumbledore just as calmly asked, "Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet for you?" Still calm. So different from the rest of the room.

Harry once again responded with an emphatic, " ** _No!_** " Dumbledore just gave a slight nod. He believed him!

Suddenly, everyone was speaking at the same time. Harry just closed his eyes and wished himself away. He heard "Liar", "Cheat", "Binding Magical Contract", and other insults being hurled at both Dumbledore and Harry himself. Main complaint seemed to be that Hogwarts would have two champions, while the other schools would only have one. Madame Maxime said something about 'two bites of an apple'.

Harry was massively depressed. The last year had been so GOOD. Now he was right back at year two. He felt himself start to crack. A quiver just before he would begin crying…. NO! NEVER! Harry decided he'd rather hate them all than be afraid of them or hurt by them. Hatred was an emotion he do something with. Cold Fury and Malice… _Focus!_

Suddenly, Professor Moody came into the room and hurled an insult at the Durmstrang headmaster. He seemed to own the stage. He pointed out that Harry couldn't have put his name in the cup. He also insinuated that Karkaroff was a dark wizard. He basically insulted everyone and Dumbledore let him! So, this was the anti-Snape! A tough talking, rude, and insulting good guy. Thank GOD. Harry finally felt like someone was on his side! Someone who was willing to stand up to Snape and any other teachers. Someone UN-like Dumbledore.

Listening to the whirlwind of arguments and discussions around him, Harry picked up that Professor Moody had nick names for everyone and boldly called it to their faces. Let's see, According to Professor Moody, Snape is 'Turncoat', Karkaroff is 'Death eater', Madame Maxime is 'Big-Bones', McGonagall is 'Kitty-Kat', Fleur – the girl from Beauxbaton, is 'Veela Princess' (not said in a flattering way), Victor Krum is 'Broom Stick Rider' (yes, Harry knew what was being insinuated), Crouch was a 'Bureaucrat', and Bagman was 'Has-been'. Calling them these names seemed to really get to them. Dumbledore tried to moderate him, but it was useless, really.

Harry might just have a new role model. Maybe he would do the same. Insult and intimidate. Maybe…. Well, no. That's not what **Bill** would do. What would Bill do? He'd be cool. Calm. Present a small target and get exactly what he wanted. "I wish I was more like Bill." Harry said to himself. Unnoticed, Dumbledore overheard his words and just adopted a sad but proud smile.

Professor Moody then asked to see the paper with Harry's name on it. "Ah-ha! Well, 'Big Bones' and 'Deatheater', your problems have been solved! There will **not** be two Hogwarts competitors!" Professor Moody then smiled, threw his scarred up head back and laughed… the man was scary. "Harry Potter is a NOT listed as a Hogwarts Student!"

Everyone began mumbling. Madame Maxime reached over with one of her enormous long arms and pulled the paper from Moody's hand. She read it and looked confused.

"Harry Potter is representing… Gringotts? How can this be? Dumbly-Dorr…?" She seemed perplexed. Harry noted the room became silent.

Dumbledore crinkled his forehead a moment and calmly stated, "Apparently, Mr. Potter was entered as if he was a student from a fourth school. In this case, Gringotts."

Karkaroff jumped right on that, "Gringotts is a **Bank!** Not a school! He is not even old enough to be **employed** at Gringotts!"

Moody moved toward the man menacingly and said, "Simmer down _Death eater_! Mr. Potter has been spending his summers at Gringotts as an apprentice curse-breaker. Between that, and a powerful Confundus, the cup could be hoodwinked."

Moody then went on to suggest that entering Harry into the tournament was part of an assassination attempt. That was poorly received. He was called paranoid by Karkaroff and the room was once more engulfed in chaos. Harry went to a nearby sofa and just sat down, wishing it would end so he could just go back to bed. His scar was pulsing continuously, but he had grown accustomed to it. He just tuned everyone out.

Harry considered what he knew. His scar was flaring, so it is creating a hostile environment for him. The tournament was dangerous. Someone entered him in the tournament, but was it a joke or an attempt to get him killed? Who could have done it? Who had motive? Malfoy? No, not his style. The Twins as a joke? No, they couldn't even enter themselves. Colin with his Hero worship? No, he couldn't pull this off… He needed to talk to Hermione. And Bill. Maybe Sirius, too. He'd make an attempt to talk to McGonagall as well.

McGonagall had asked for a clean start last year, now is a good time to test her. He needed someone on his side, and right now only Mad-Eye-Moody was there. While Harry had been appreciative of the support and entertainment of watching him bully everyone, he needed a calm head. Moody's aggressiveness had thrown everyone off, but they had recovered now and his insults were working against him.

Harry got up and slowly approached Professor McGonagall. "Professor, can we…"

"Can we WHAT, Mr. Potter?" She aggressively cut him off with, "Can we cause more trouble? Can we cheat our way into some other tournament? Or possibly, Can we embarrass the school more than we already have? Well, which is it?" Apparently a few others had stopped to listen to them.

"Can we talk, I need your help…" Harry was embarrassed at how pitiful he sounded. Like he was timidly begging.

"You are just like your father and his friends! Always causing problems and needing my help. Well, maybe you should have thought this through **before** you entered yourself." Harry just stared with his mouth hanging open.

Snape approached with a cruel smile and wicked gleam in his eye, "I quite agree Minerva, Mr. Potter is a Menace. To the school and to himself. Just like his **worthless** Father." Something in Harry snapped at that. He even heard a few gasps around the room.

Harry balled up his fists and launched himself at Snape. He was going to wipe that smile off his face! Someone grasped him around the torso before he could get there and held him back. Snape just smiled maliciously and mockingly at him. Harry realised it was Moody that held him. Dumbledore was there as well, but Moody was closer and beat him to Harry.

Moody half pulled and half carried Harry out of the room saying, "Mr. Potter needs some air. I'll take him to his room." Looking straight at McGonagall, he said, "Relax, Kitty Kat. I got this. Apparently, Harry's too much like his father to expect aid from **you**!" It was a wicked comment designed to cause pain.

Harry noted that McGonagall just looked shocked. Embarrassed even. Good. No more chances, she blew it. Once in the hall, Moody addressed Harry, "Alright, listen up Potter. First, don't attack Snape! You may be tough, but you are no match for him! Second, I am one hundred percent sure you did not do this. Dumbledore probably is also. The rest… well, don't expect any support. Third and finally, this tournament is dangerous. Technically, I can't help you. But I can always answer questions. As long as you don't tie the questions to the tournament."

"I'm not sure what you mean, sir." Could he help or not? Harry was tuning out most of the dialogue in the meeting…

"Not the sharpest knife, I see. Let me give you an example," in a falsetto voice Moody said, "'Sir, how do I stop a **Basilisk**?" then he responded to himself in his own gravelly voice, "'Get a **rooster**! The call of a rooster **kills** a Basilisk!' See how it's done?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

"Yeah. Keep your wits about you, Potter. Your fellow students didn't seem very happy with you. Remember, Constant Vigilance! Better to seem paranoid and live than be relaxed and **dead**! Catch my drift?"

And Harry did. He understood completely. Thinking back to his second year and all that Heir of Slytherin abuse he went through. Watch out for fair-weather friends. After thanking Professor Moody again, he went into the common room.

Everyone was waiting for him. Well, not everyone, but plenty of his house mates. The Quidditch team was in one section. His closest friends were in another. That was Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny. The rest of his year were scattered around. His scar was really throbbing now. It had been oddly calm with Moody. There was a momentary pause, then they all lit into him, Starting with Angelina.

"So, you thought you would just cheat your way in and steal the glory, right Potter? What makes you think you deserve to be a Hogwarts Champion?" She was approaching him the same way she did Quidditch – aggressively.

Before he could answer, the twins said, "You knew how to get past the age line, but you never shared it with us? We had to go to the infirmary to have those beards removed. Why didn't you share? So much for friendship!" They were both talking in that ridiculous way they did, Harry had learned to just hear them as if they were one person.

"No! I didn't put my name in, I promise!"

Now everyone was talking. Basically, he was a liar and a cheat.

Katie Bell had always been nice to him. She spoke up now, "Harry, just admit you did it and withdraw from the tournament. No one would hold a prank against you." She then cut her eyes at the twins as if calling them hypocrites. She may not believe him, but at least she didn't turn on him.

Angelina and Alicia glared at Katie and she meekly quieted down. Harry suspected they had bullied the kind and quiet girl. But to what end? To make him feel alone?

"Katie? I didn't…" Harry started, but was quickly cut off by Angelina.

"Leave her out of this, Harry! Admit it. Admit you cheated!" Others seemed to be agreeing with Angelina.

"I won't admit to what I didn't do! Fine lot you bunch are, bunch of turncoats!" He was yelling now. Aggression to aggression. Don't back down.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alicia quietly going for her wand. Harry opened his perceptions and everything seemed to slow down. He saw her flick her wand at him, but he was already in motion. He flicked his wrist and his wand came out of the new wrist holster Bill had given him for his birthday. He silently cast a 'Protego' and her spell rebounded back on her.

Alicia screamed and grabbed herself. Same curse as last time. No originality, apparently. Now she can enjoy boils. Suddenly, Harry was shielding himself from multiple curses flying his way. He just kept using 'Protego'. Most of the hexes were weak enough that they just rebounded around the room, hitting the casters or the people around them. A few were more powerful. Harry wanted to strike back, but the hexes were coming too frequently, he was forced to just dodge and shield. He backed up to the corner to ensure no one could sneak behind him and he just held on.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably about a few minutes, Dumbledore, Moody, Flitwick and McGonagall came bursting into the room. Not a moment too soon either as Harry was on the verge of magical exhaustion. Protego shields were hard to maintain and took a lot of power.

McGonagall spoke first, "What is going on here? Potter, I suppose I should have known." Looking around, there were easily a dozen or more students suffering from various hexes and curses. A few were serious and required medical attention.

Harry quickly defended himself, "Professor, I didn't do anything! I was the one attacked!" So much like second year, he couldn't help but think.

McGonagall was about to retort when Professor Dumbledore spoke up. "Harry, let me see your wand." He calmly extended his hand and Harry reluctantly handed it over. Dumbledore waved his wand over Harry's and said " **Priori Incantatem!** "

It became immediately obvious that Harry had only cast the 'Protego' spell. For once, Harry was glad he never had the opportunity to do more than shield.

Moody laughed. "Looks like your lions turned on their own cub, Kit-Kat! **Serves them RIGHT!"**

Professor McGonagall looked quite angry. "Professor Moody, I would appreciate it if you would address me appropriately in my own house! Now, somehow you have managed to come out of this Scott-free Mr. Potter. However, duelling in the common room is forbidden, so you will be enjoying a week's detention."

Everyone looked stunned for a minute. No one could actually believe he was being punished for defending himself. Even Dumbledore looked shocked.

Before Harry could say anything, Professor Flitwick spoke up, "I'd like to administer the punishment Minerva. I have just the right punishment in mind! Mr. Potter will think twice before he handles his problems this way! With your permission I can start immediately!"

Minerva could just look on, she had even stunned herself with her accusation. "Yes, yes, Filius. That would be fine." And Filius pulled Harry out of the room as Dumbledore began reviewing everyone's wands. It was going to be a rough time for Angelina.

Before Harry could talk, Professor Flitwick began talking while they walked. "Now, Harry. The problem with the Protego charm is that it draws too much power and limits your ability to respond. In this case, it proved to be a benefit as it helped prove your innocence. Still, you would not have lasted another minute or two, then you would have been hit with multiple hexes." Pausing and thinking a bit, he added, "I know what it is like to be the outcast. To have everyone turn on you."

Harry knew his scar affected Professor Flitwick in this manner. Self-doubt and depression. But no matter what the scar did, he never turned on Harry in his second year. Harry always felt bad about the way he reacted to the scar, but was thankful Professor Flitwick never took it out on him. He was like Neville in the way the scar worked. Not malicious.

When they got to Professor Flitwick's class, He sat Harry down and began teaching.

"Mr. Potter, I believe you are able to cast your Protego silently, am I correct?"

"Yes, sir." Harry was very interested now. Professor Flitwick _never_ teaches duelling tactics. He had only taught Harry a bit in his third year. Under another unjust detention.

Professor Flitwick went into teaching mode, "Now, I'm going to teach you how to make a small shield and 'volley' spells away. The normal Protego is large and covers you from one direction. The Protego Maxima is like a Dome and protects you from all directions. Both are VERY effective if you have poor to average hand to eye coordination. But it is one of the most draining spells as it protects against both physical and mystical spells. You, however have some of the best coordination I have ever seen. Amazing reaction speed as well."

He continued his lecture, "It takes far less energy to maintain a dinner plate size shield than a full on Protego. It is also easy to raise and lower the smaller shield to enable shield volleying between offensive spells. The only requirement is the ability to cast silently and quickly. Which I think you have more than demonstrated. Now, stand up and let's see what we can do."

Standing beside Harry, he had him hold his wand out and focus. "Now, focus on casting a Protego, then shrinking it and holding it on the wand." Harry did just that, but it was tricky.

"Good, Mr. Potter, Now make it smaller, but not weaker. You see how it is wavering… yes, that's it. Look for fluctuations in the field…" Harry had learned to see Astral threads a long time ago, so the fluctuations in the pattern were actually very easy for him to see. He could tell that his shield was unstable. It might stop a weak stinging charm, but that's about all.

As Harry dialled in the size of the shield, it became more concave. Professor Flitwick pointed that out.

"The shape matters too. It must be relatively flat if you are to volley effectively. If you expand the shape of the Protego, you get the Protego Maxima. In other words, it is round. You have to alter the shape when shrining the spell to ensure that you are not creating a small globe. Shrink the area, not the total potential volume. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, sir. Have we ever covered this before? I feel like I have heard this…" Dream training maybe?

Harry practiced this with each hand until he could get a small but stable shield formed with the wand in either hand. He was nowhere fast enough to use it, but he'd practice daily until he was. Then he had a thought, "Sir, can this be used wandlessly?"

"Yes, but it would take quite a bit of expertise." Then looking at Harry appraisingly, "Can you cast a Protego wandlessly?"

"Yes sir, but it is slower than with a wand. Not quite as strong either. I was wondering if I could hold the smaller shield over my hand and just expand it when there is trouble…" Harry cast a wandless Protego with his left hand. He then began to dial it back, but it flickered out.

"Very nice M. Potter. Very nice indeed." Professor Flitwick's eyes were as large as saucers.

"But sir, I can't hold it." Harry was pretty bummed out about the failure.

"You got farther than most can get with a wand, Mr. Potter. When you practice, alternate with the wands, then the hands. I did know one duellist that was able to wandlessly cover their left forearm with a shield while attacking with their right. But their left-handed shield was just a smaller Protego. It lacked the mobility that a volleying shield would have. If you can attach it to your hand…" He was positively gleaming with excitement. Then the depression kicked back in.

"If only I had been given the chance to learn and expand." Then looking curiously at Harry, he added, "My father worked at Gringotts. He would have been proud to have you represent him in the school tournament."

Harry had not considered that angle. Director Ragnok always came through for him. "Professor, I think I will write Director Ragnok and let him know I am his champion. Do you think he will mind?"

"Harry, I suspect he will jump with excitement!" Professor Flitwick had never called him 'Harry' before. Always 'Mr. Potter'. The scar must be wearing on him.

"Thank you sir. And please, call me Harry whenever you like. I trust you, sir." Harry braced himself for the lecture on proper protocol that McGonagall would give him. He knew he was on the edge of what was acceptable.

"Thank you, Harry. Perhaps when it is just the two of us…" He thought for a moment and added, "Don't offer the same to Director Ragnok. He might lose respect for you, and that would be potentially disastrous."

"Thank you, sir. I'll make sure I don't." Harry picked up the few belongings he had with him, "Same time tomorrow?"

"Let's make it Eight PM, Harry. It is actually pretty late now… Here let me write you a note for being out after curfew." He wrote the note and handed it to Harry. "If anyone asks, I had you scrubbing the floors and they seemed to dirty themselves after you were done, making you repeat. I'm known for that one…" and he gently chuckled. Harry had heard that one. Most people view Professor Flitwick's detentions as nearly on par with Filch's.

Harry returned to the common room and found it deserted. Going up to his dorm, he became more nervous with each step… Harry paused briefly at the door and prepared himself. 'OK, no sense in delay…' and he entered.

Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Hermione were all there. All waiting for him. No Neville.

Hermione looked upset, but not angry. The other boys looked furious. Ron stepped forward.

"You know, you could have told your best mate you were going to do it! But you just had to show off. You want the fame and glory, so you steal it from Angelina and Cedric. Just like with Bill. Poor little orphan needs a family, so he steals one from his mate." Ron then walked past him and bumped his shoulder out of the way.

Harry was stunned. "I didn't do it, Ron! I swear." As Ron's words sunk in, Harry realized how brutal they were. 'Poor little Orphan?' Even in his second year, he didn't remember anything like that.

Dean and Seamus followed Ron out, both butting him with their shoulders. "Wanker" and "Arse hole" were the fun names they used.

Turning to the last person in the room, "Hermione, you have to believe me…"

"I do Harry. I saw your face when Dumbledore called your name. But the others say you were gone most of the day and are using that to say you were sneaking. Harry, this is bad." Hermione looked scared for him.

"I know, Hermione. Someone is targeting me. It might be the ministry or some Deatheaters. Did you know Karkaroff is a Death eater? Moody called him out." Harry proceeded to tell Hermione all about the chaos after his name came out of the cup.

Hermione was stunned, "A Death eater as a headmaster? I have heard that Durmstrang had a bad reputation, but that is… and he's here now? This can't be good."

Harry also goes on to tell her about being stunned and waking up disoriented. He couldn't even remember where he was going. "It's all fuzzy. I think I may have been obliviated."

"Harry, you have to tell Professor McGonagall. She can help you." Seeing Harry scoff, Hermione adds, "She is our head of house and she is obligated to assist you"

"Like tonight? She punished me for defending myself! No, thanks. I'd rather go to Karkaroff the Death eater." Hermione couldn't argue. She had also been shocked. "What happened after I was sent to detention?"

She proceeded telling Harry what happened after Professor Flitwick pulled him out. "First, McGonagall tried to say the issue had been resolved, but Moody insisted on checking the wands. Dumbledore reluctantly agreed and… some of the curses were pretty bad, Harry. Had your shield given out…" She steadied herself and continued. "As it was, Moody suggested expulsion, but Dumbledore instead suggested Detention with Professor Snape. Well, he originally suggested they share **your** detention, but Moody suggested they may get hurt. Angelina didn't cast anything stronger than a stunner, but some of the other spells were potentially lethal. Your shield actually sent the spells back toward the casters and ten of them had to be taken to the infirmary." Harry actually laughed at that.

"Serves them right!"

Hermione continued, "Professor Moody pointed out that the 'less than lethal' hexes would have incapacitated you and allowed the lethal ones to have full effect. I don't know if this matters, but Neville got hurt trying to protect you. A cutting curse. His wand was actually destroyed and he was sliced to the bone. Someone shot a high powered cutting curse at you and it ricocheted off your shield. He's in the hospital wing. Ginny and I tried to help as well, but we were put in body binds. Katie was the one who ran out of the room to get help."

"Wait, who put you and Ginny in Body Binds?" Harry was feeling a fire start to burn. He hated being targeted, but when it was his friends, the gloves came off. Then he realised who Hermione had not mentioned. "And what was Ron doing? It seemed like I was all on my own."

"Oh, Harry. He just got caught up… He said it was to protect us from stray hexes." Seeing that Harry now understood, she added, "Yes, Ron put us in the Body Binds."

"And afterward? Did he try to help me? Like Neville and Katie did?" Harry asked, but he already knew the answer.

"No, Harry. I'm sorry. Afterward he… joined in with the others and began casting Hexes at you. But nothing serious from his wand." Hermione was clearly upset about Ron's actions.

"So, who was punished?"

"Everyone who tried to Hex you has detention. With Mr. Filch. For a full month. The more serious spells have resulted in the loss of wands for the duration. Ginny hit Ron with a Bat-Bogey hex once she was released and lost her wand as well. That spell is horrible. Ron actually had to get his nose fixed."

Well, Harry had something he could be happy about now. "Good! Good for Ginny. Honestly, I can't believe McGonagall actually did something for a change!"

"Harry… She didn't punish them. Professor Moody did. Hermione closed her eyes for a minute and continued. "Professor McGonagall tried to reverse it, but Professor Dumbledore overrode her and said this violence can't be allowed." She then remembered something else, "Oh, Gryffindor also lost fifty points per person. Basically, we are out of the running for the house cup. We may even be negative."

Thinking for a moment, Hermione asked, "Harry, how did you maintain the Protego for that long? I can _maybe_ last a full minute… but you held yours for at least five. Maybe longer. A few of the older students were commenting on it. They seem a bit worried you might take revenge…"

"Honestly, Hermione, I had maybe thirty seconds left. None of the spells were all that powerful, but it was really starting to drain me. Thank god the staff got there when they did. If anyone asks, tell them I still had plenty of reserves. Maybe that will keep them away." Then looking at her he added, "And no, I don't want revenge, I just want to survive the damn tournament and get through the year."

"I'll research the Tournament, Harry. Don't go anywhere alone. I have a bad feeling."

"Me too, Hermione. Me too."

Hermione got up, gave him a hug, and left him.

Harry first reinforced the wards on his trunk. It was already made to be very tough and heavily warded, but he and Bill added to that over the last two summers. He now cranked it all the way up. If anyone tried to break into his trunk, they would regret it. He carved protection and defence Runes into his bed post with his wand. Hand carving was better, but wand carving worked in a pinch. Faster and easier too. No one would bother his bed now. Harry put the trunk under his bed to protect it further and clamped it to the floor. He did the same with his bed. No one would be messing with his personal belongings. Honestly, he had all he really cared about in that chest.

He thought about Neville and the way he must feel about his dad's wand being destroyed. He'd have to find a way to thank him. Harry also thought about who he could ask for help. OK, four letters. Bill, Ragnok, Sirius, and Madame Longbottom. He then began writing letters.

— **DoD—**

_Director Ragnok,_

_I hope you are well and I am not intruding. I want you to know that someone entered my name into the Tri-Wizard tournament and identified me as a student of Gringotts. As this is partially true due to my curse breaker studies, I am now representing Gringotts in the tournament. Yes, this means I was chosen as a Champion. I hope this does not embarrass you as much as it embarrassed Hogwarts. I promise to do my best to make Gringotts proud. I wanted you to hear this from me as opposed to the Daily Prophet._

_If there is any reading material you could recommend to assist me in my endeavours, please let me know and I will purchase them. Also, my fellow students are not pleased and have been attacking me. The attack tonight was against over a dozen students at the same time. Of my entire Gryffindor house, only four of my friends actually tried to help me. My allies were overcome, with Neville Longbottom being injured and sent to the infirmary. I got lucky and lasted long enough for help to arrive, maybe five minutes. But I'd rather not need help. Five minutes is a very long time when you are fighting so many. One of my teachers, Professor Flitwick, is helping me defend myself, but any books you can recommend would also be of help._

_I am sorry to burden you with this, but I feel I am in danger and would appreciate any advice you are willing to give. For what it is worth, ten of the turncoat cowards in my house were sent to the infirmary. I'm done playing games. If you feel this reflects poorly on Gringotts, please accept my deepest apologies and know that I did not enter myself, but now that I am in it, I intend to win!_

_Sincerely,_

_Harry James Potter_

_Novice Curse-Breaker_

Harry made copy of the letter with a simple spell. he wanted Bill to know what he was saying to Ragnok.

— **DoD—**

_Bill Weasley,_

_Bill, I know I wrote to you earlier today, but things have gotten worse. I have been entered against my will in the tri-Wizard tournament. My house has turned against me and I was attacked by almost everyone (Neville, Ginny, Hermione, and Katie were the only ones who even tried to help)._

_I am attaching a copy of the letter I wrote to Ragnok. I tried to show respect and added a bit of pride in combat, we'll see if he accepts it in a positive way. I sent it to him as whoever entered me, did it as a Gringotts student. Apparently I am considered by magic a student of Gringotts due to the curse-breaker program._

_My scar is throwing off all kinds of malice and I think things will get even more dangerous. Any advice is appreciated. Sorry to bother you with this. I swear I did not enter myself._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry_

— **DoD—**

_Dear Madame Longbottom,_

_I regret to inform you that my good friend and your grandson, Neville Longbottom, was injured tonight. He will be fine, but his wand was destroyed. I know how much that wand meant to him and I wanted to let you know the circumstances._

_Tonight, someone entered my name in the Tri-Wizard tournament without my knowledge or permission. I was selected as a Champion and forced to compete. This has caused considerable hostility and petty jealousy among my peers. As a result, I was attacked by a large number of students while in the Gryffindor common room. Neville was one of the only students that stood by my side and was injured in the exchange. I want to make it clear that I am innocent of any wrongdoing, I did not start the fight, and Neville was acting in my defence. Apparently, 'Lions' have become cowards ruled by mob mentality. Fortunately, Neville is a friend I can count on._

_Neville has informed me that our families are allies and that my parents were friends with Neville's. He fought bravely and I am proud to be his friend and honoured to have such a strong alliance between the Potter and Longbottom families. I will be honoured if you let me purchase a new wand for Neville to replace the one he treasured so much. I don't know if this matters to you, but we were able to send ten of the cowards to the infirmary._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry James Potter_

_Heir to the House of Potter_

— **DoD—**

_Dear Sirius,_

_You told me to keep you posted on what's happening at Hogwarts, so here goes – I don't know if you've heard, but the Triwizard Tournament's happening this year and I got picked as a fourth champion. I don't know who put my name in the Goblet of Fire, because I didn't. The other Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff.*_

_Tonight, I was attacked by over a dozen students that were jealous and angry. These were students that used to be my friends. Even Ron tried to curse me. I am certain the attacks will continue. McGonagall actually tried to punish me for defending myself! She is no help. I despise that woman almost as much as Snape. I swear to you I did not start anything and only acted in defence. Hermione and Ginny were immobilised and only Neville was able to stand beside me. The rest of Gryffindor either attacked me or chose not to help. I can now count my friends on one hand. With fingers left over._

_Any advice you can give is greatly appreciated. Say hello to Buckbeak, hope you are both well._

_-Harry_

— **DoD—**

Ron and the other boys still had not returned. That seemed odd. Harry put on his cloak and left the dorm. Ron, Seamus, and Dean were nowhere to be seen. The common room was completely empty. It was after curfew, where was everybody? Harry quietly left and went to the Owlery. He sent off all three letters. He was sending Bill's mail to Gringotts as they had a forwarding service for employees. With a little luck, he might just survive this year. Tomorrow was Sunday, so he could lay low. But Monday, he would be forced to be with the general population.

Harry snuck back and noticed his dorm mates had finally returned and were giving him the 'cold shoulder'. Harry noted that they all still had wands, so none of them cast anything dangerous at him. Well, that was somewhat comforting. As he came into the dorm, Ron spoke up.

"Well, looks like someone's been out breaking rules again. Did you enter into any other tournaments?"

Harry had had enough. The orphan comment Ron made earlier was still raw, "Mind your own business, Weasley." Harry made a point to call Ron by his last name.

Ron noticed and just said, "Screw you, Potter!"

Looking at his dorm mates Harry asked, "So, which curses did you lot throw at me?" He wanted to see how they would react.

They were all defiant. "I see. Well, I hope you enjoy your month with Filch."

Harry turned to go to his bed, but was spun around as Ron slugged him right on the eye, knocking him to the ground. Harry had been hit harder and knew how to roll with the punch, but it still hurt. He really hadn't expected it. His glasses landed somewhere out of arms reach. Thank goodness they were treated with an 'impervious' charm.

"Very brave, Ronald." Now to cause a little pain as well… "How do you think your family will respond to you striking a man when his back is turned?" Harry knows Ron has pride and insecurity issues. He had also mentioned that he feels like his Family does not think highly of him. Well, Ron shouldn't have made the orphan comment.

Ron just glared and fumed, "Sod off, Potter. We're done!" and walked to his bed. Looking back with a sneer he added, "Wait till tomorrow, Potter. Just wait."

Harry painfully got up, found his glasses, and cast a light freezing charm on his face to minimize the bruising, and went to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a rough day. He began his Occlumency exercises and he heard the other boys slowly falling asleep.

— **DoD—**

**Beauxbaton Carriage**

**Fleur Delacour's room**

Fleur sat on her bed and reflected on the day. First, she had been chosen. She knew it was likely, but it was nice to have it confirmed. She was the best Beauxbaton's had to offer. Then, she saw the other two champions. Both seemed strong and confident. Just as they were settling in, they were joined by the fourth champion. He was smaller boy. He looked just slightly older than Gabrielle. Maybe a third year student. She had assumed he was a messenger. He seemed confused and she assumed it was her allure. But that was not the case. He was the **fourth** champion in the **Tri** -Wizard tournament.

And the fourth Champion was none other than Harry Potter. Her little sister's idol and obsession. Gabrielle had all his books and read all the articles where he was featured in Teen Witch Weekly. She even had Harry Potter PJ's… What bothered Fleur the most was the way she had acted toward the boy. Fleur might be direct and intense, but she was rarely cruel. When that boy walked in… she said awful things. Referring to him as 'Little boy' was bad enough, but she had said more. She had been downright vicious in her comments. Fortunately, Harry Potter had zoned out of the conversation. She even tried to use her allure to embarrass him, but had no impact on him. Maybe he was not into witches… But that was neither here nor there. Fleur had **never** tried to use her allure like that before. To cause embarrassment and shame. She was glad he had not been affected. The boy had sworn up and down that he did not put his name in the cup. At the time it seemed like a bold faced lie, but now… no. He could not have. He did not look at all happy either. Then that horrible teacher came in and got everyone fired up. Those horrible nick-names! They were intentionally personal and vicious. Was Karkaroff really a Death eater?

Fleur thought about the night from Harry's point of view. 'He was probably scared and could use a friend. He sure wasn't finding one amongst his class mates. When he so timidly asked his teacher for help, she had brutally came down on him. Publicly shaming the poor boy. Why did they hate him so much? He was so quiet… Until his teachers insulted his parents. Why had they done that? Everyone knew his parents were murdered. The greasy one had been worse than the older woman. But, still... All of this made her wonder, who is Harry Potter? Why did I hate him so much in that little room, but not now? Was I thinking clearly? Could I have been influenced by a rival? Were there other factors at play here? So many questions.'

Fleur suspected Madame Maxime was having similar feelings. The further they got from the boy and the school, the clearer they could think. Madame Maxime had insulted the boy to his face! She is never so… inelegant.

As Fleur lay down, she realized something was just plain wrong about the whole event. Tomorrow, she would consider it more carefully. Tomorrow, she would apologize.

— **DoD—**

Hogwarts

Headmasters Office

Albus Dumbledore was on his third glass of Ogden's. Tonight had been an unmitigated disaster. Everything was going so well, right up until the Harry's name came out of the goblet. He had felt something unpleasant all day, but it was in the background. Like a constant breeze of animosity. But in the great hall, staring at Harry, he felt it like a hurricane. Pure malice hitting him with a force he had not felt since Harry's second year. But it seemed to affect everyone, not just him. And the effects were awful.

First, the students turned on him. Albus would never have believed how quickly people that had been his friends turned. The things they had said, the horrible way he was treated… and even he wanted to reach out and strike the boy. But he knew what was causing it. And knowing is half the battle. More than half actually. Then, in the back room, he champions turned on him as well. And even Minerva behaved horrifically. She threw away a year's worth of effort in rebuilding his trust and respect, only to publicly shame him. And lose all the progress she had made.

William's influence has moderated Harry's hatred, but would it last? If William came to the school, would he be affected by the Horcrux? Ruining the only positive influence in young Harry's life? Moody has behaved significantly more paranoid than ever before, but maybe that was what's needed. To keep Harry alive. In his paranoia, Alastor seems more resistant than the rest of the faculty to the Horcrux. If only he didn't insult everyone. Alastor had forced Minerva and him to punish the Gryffindors. It was only fair and maybe it was needed, but they are victims too. Would the punishment make them behave even worse to Harry? Some of those spells could have seriously harmed or even killed Harry. Punishments had to be made...

Looking over at his companion, Dumbledore just sighed and asked, "Fawkes, I admit to not knowing what to do. I don't want Harry to go dark, but I can see where this is headed. For a brief moment, he looked just like Tom had. Like he hated… everyone. Then he thought of William. Now I am torn. Do I ask for William to come and help him, or do I ask him to stay away?"

In response, Fawkes just 'trilled' gently. Fawkes knew his Wizard was hurting. He knew the tiny wizard was hurting too. His tears still flowed through the tiny ones blood. They always would. The little one was in so much pain. Both of the wizards Fawkes loved so much were hurting. Hopefully, Hedwig could help the small one, Fawkes was busy with his older wizard. On that point, Fawkes gently sung a song to help the old one relax and sleep.

Albus turned in for the night. He knew what the topic of tomorrow's staff meeting would be. He frequently wondered if it would have been a mercy to have just handed the boy over to the Department of Mysteries. A quick death over a painful life ending in a death that would probably not be quick. No, that is foolish talk. The easy way out. And now that he knew the boy, there was no way he could sacrifice him. He just needed to keep him on the right path.

"Goodnight Fawkes." And with a wave of his hand, he extinguished the candlelight.

-DoD-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are enjoying the story – Feedback is appreciated.
> 
> OK, so I did not get to the first task, but I got thru a number of critical points:
> 
> 1\. By the calendar, October 31, 1994 was on a Monday. However, the book places it on a Saturday. I like Saturday better. I don't like deviating from hard and fixed reality dates, but the story works better on a Saturday. If this bothers anyone, just imagine the cup spit out Harry's name on the 29th.
> 
> 2\. Dumbledore in the Movie was physically aggressive with Harry and kind of man-handled him. It really seemed horrible and 'Snape-like' in its physical intimidation level. I am going with the Book version where Dumbledore was calm and in control. I personally preferred the original Dumbledore in the movies to the second. I also greatly preferred the Book Version of him.
> 
> 3\. Harry contacted Gringotts. He will be representing the bank and has asked for assistance. He WILL get it. Harry reached out to Sirius Black and his godfather will not let things stand.
> 
> 4\. Bill will be involved. Harry needs Bill now more than ever. Bill also keeps Harry from getting too dark in his thinking.
> 
> 5\. Professor Flitwick is training him again. McGonagall dropped the ball once more. The Horcrux LOVES her almost as much as Draco and Ron.
> 
> 6\. I threw in Neville losing his wand and Harry contacting his Gran as a way to get Neville a new wand and stir up issues for old Dumbledore and McGonagall. Madame Longbottom will not like what she hears but should be proud of her grandson. Very proud. She is a force to be reckoned with.
> 
> In this story, Tom Riddle understood how the room of requirement worked and placed the Diadem inside the room to curse the DADA position. Items left in the room are absorbed into Hogwarts as a whole when the room has no occupants. Because Dumbledore does not know about the Diadem or the fact that a Horcrux is in the room of requirement, he has been unable to permanently break the curse. He breaks it each year, then it comes back. He has no idea why or how.
> 
> So, in the last chapter, Barty Crouch Jr. used the Diadem to charge up Harry's damaged Horcrux. But he did more than that. The Diadem is acting like an antenna for Harry's Horcrux and projecting its Malice throughout the castle. Obviously, proximity matters and being in the same room with Harry makes it far more concentrated, but there is really no escape from it's ambient effect inside Hogwarts. The Gryffindor's, being physically the closest to him, are the most heavily impacted.
> 
> Worth mentioning is that Voldemort knew Harry was a Horcrux at the end of Year one. See chapter 5 of this story. I always thought it was odd that he never suspected... all the signs were there and he really should have known. So, in my story, he does.
> 
> Note that the majority of the letter to Sirius was straight from the book. The first paragraph was a direct quote for the most part, with a second paragraph added.
> 
> Hopefully I will cover the first task in the next update. A big decision I must make is whether I treat the first task like the book or the movie? Huge differences.
> 
> Till next time.


	12. Chapter 12

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fourth year will be split between having 'summary' chapters and new chapters focusing more on where divergence from Canon occurs. I do not want to re-tell what most readers already know, but I will spotlight where divergence occurs. The more time goes by, the greater the divergence. Year five will be a full split.**

**After Harry's name came out of the cup, Harry was dealing with the irrational conflict and hatred that his Horcrux scar was causing. In the Gryffindor common room, his housemates turned on him resulting in Harry having to defend himself with shield spells. Many students were injured from the ricochets as spells were tossed randomly at him. While a few stood by him, most of the Gryffindor students did not. Vastly outnumbered, he could only act defensively. Fortunately, that proved his innocence when the Professors arrived as he had only cast shield spells. The attacking Gryffindors were given harsh punishments and were terribly angry about that. Of his dorm mattes, only Ginny, Hermione, Katie and Neville stood up for him and Neville was sent to the infirmary for his efforts. Harry decided to write to people he trusted or felt could help him. Upon returning, Ron sucker punched him with a warning of 'Wait till tomorrow…' This is where we pick up.**

**Special thanks to 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and error correction.**

**-Dance of Death-**

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts**

**Gryffindor Tower.**

**Sunday, November 1, 1994**

Harry's sleep was deeply troubled. He did not have his normal 'Dream Training' with his mother. No comfort or support. No advice that he could vaguely recall the next day. Just nightmares about being alone. As he felt his scar pulsate maliciously, he realised he had been cut off from his 'dream time'. That had never happened before.

Harry waited for his dorm mates to leave before getting out of bed. It was Sunday, so he could afford to be a little late. He inspected his wards, both on his trunk and his bed. The bed was tricky as it was in an open space, but the trunk was warded up tighter than a pharaoh's tomb. Well, maybe not a pharaoh, but definitely as well as an Assyrian Noble's vault would be. Nothing lethal, but the non-lethal wards were heavy handed.

Harry practiced forming the volleying shield Professor Flitwick had showed him. Getting a relatively flat surface was not easy, but then again, an American baseball bat was round and with practice, they could direct baseballs. He'd have to consider all his options. Harry knew that in a fight, speed was critical. Maybe even more important than power. To a point.

He was too nervous to take a shower, so he just did a quick 'Scourgify' on himself, top to bottom, and a light deodorant fragrance under his arms. All the boys had learned these hygiene charms. He'd have to look and see if there was a better replacement for taking a shower than 'scourgify'. That charm kind of hurt when applied to sensitive areas, as he could now attest. Once complete, Harry dressed and cautiously descended down stairs.

Entering the common room was a bit of a shock. The entire house was there. Waiting for him. At first he froze, thinking this was an ambush, but no one had their wands out. Their eyes looked to be full of hatred, but they were not taking up offensive positions. A few of the attendees looked upset, some of the first years just seemed confused. Harry decided to just come down and get it over with. Whatever 'it' was.

Angelina took point. "Good, you're finally up. We were about to send a messenger to summon you." She sounded all business. Cold and detached barely touched her demeanour. Something about her seemed… proud? No, that's not it. Happy? No… She looked this way whenever they beat Slytherin at quidditch. Smug.

Harry started to say something, but she just held up her hand. This can't be good.

She began talking. "Harry James Potter, you have brought shame on the house of Gryffindor and behaved in a manner that does not align with the values of our house. Last night's episode was the final straw. We held a special session last night and Gryffindor house has decided to hold you in 'Eiectio'*. The vote met the required three quarters majority as expressed in the Hogwarts charter. In line with the charter, first and second years were not allowed to participate. You have the right to review the listing of signatures should you so choose. You are no longer a member of Gryffindor house by all the rules stated in the Hogwarts by-laws. You are now instructed to gather your belongings and vacate the tower. You have thirty minutes to comply, before both you and your possessions will be forcefully removed. Do you have any questions?"

Harry just stood there dumbfounded. This was what Ron had meant when he said 'Wait till tomorrow'. This is where everyone was last night. Harry recalled his sorting three years ago and the cheers of " _We got Potter!_ " How different things seemed now. He looked around. Hermione, Colin, Katie, and Neville did not look happy. But hey, at least Neville was back from the infirmary. Ron looked smug. The twins looked conflicted. That was new.

"I'd like to see the signatures." Harry wanted to know. Did Ron really abandon him? The twins as well? He had to know where he stood and who his friends were. "Or better yet, who didn't sign."

Angelina walked over and handed him the charter. "Here is a copy of the 'Eiectio' declaration, you can review and draw your own conclusions. You have twenty eight minutes to vacate."

Harry turned to leave, but had one last question, "Does professor McGonagall know? Did she approve this?" He needed to know if she had completely abandoned him. He suspected she wouldn't care, but he had to know. Hermione was tearing up. Damn, he hated it when that happened.

Angelina smirked, "She will be notified as soon as you vacate. As per the by-laws. It will be her responsibility to find you a place to sleep." She then leaned in and quietly added, "We are done with you, Potter. Don't even think about a 'revocation', we'll make your life a living hell if you come back." That was a threat. No mistaking it for anything else.

"Potter, you now have twenty five minutes to vacate. No one will be allowed to help or hinder, but I wouldn't miss the deadline if I were you." And there it was again. The smug grin.

Harry knew time was of the essence. He rushed up to his dorm. He already had everything in his trunk. Well, one option left "Dobby!" And Dobby appeared. Looking eager to please.

"Harry Potter calls for Dobby?" His huge eyes were looking so innocent and excited.

"Yes, Dobby. I am… forced to find a new place to live. Well, to sleep actually. Can you take my trunk somewhere safe while I get settled?" Harry suddenly felt his scar pulsing. NO, it was focusing on Dobby!

"Dobby just looked at him for a minute. "Dobby can help." He paused a moment and said, "Master's scar is trying to make Dobby say 'no'… but Dobby will **always** help Harry Potter"

Harry was so relieved he just reached out and pulled Dobby into a hug. "Thank you Dobby! Thank you!" Dobby just patted Harry's back. Friend for life.

Dobby went to get Harry's trunk, then stopped. "Dobby can move Harry Potter's trunk, but Harry Potter must remove wards…"

"Oh, sorry, Dobby." Harry focused and touched first Dobby, then the trunk. He repeated the process with his bed. "Can you get my bed too, once I am settled? I spent a lot of time on the wards and don't want to lose it…" Dobby nodded.

"Dobby will take Harry Potter's trunk now, then come back for the bed once Harry Potter finds a new place to sleep." With that, he popped away with the trunk containing Harry's most valued possessions.

With a wave of his wand, Harry saw he had twenty minutes left. That meant he had fifteen minutes to finish up in here and walk out. What to do, what to do…

Harry discretely carved a few Runes around the room, then he put Runes on Neville's bed. There. Sixteen minutes. The curses he set up were not overly powerful and certainly not life threatening, but they would be rough on the occupants. Well, until they were either removed or had faded away in about a month and a half. Harry made sure his signature had been erased the way Bill had trained him. Neville would be safe, as long as he slept on his own warded bed. 'Payback is a bitch', Harry thought with a smile.

Walking down the stairs, he still had three minutes to spare. He crossed the primary room under the gaze of his housemates.

Ron asked, "Where's your trunk?" Harry could see him thinking intently. He did not look malicious like a few others did. If he had to guess, he'd say Ron didn't want anyone getting a hold of his private belongings. But then, Ron was hard to read. And he was no longer a friend.

"Already dealt with. And don't worry Angelina, I won't be back." Before he walked out the door, he turned and gave the room that had been his home on last look. He still had a few friends, he knew they would seek him out. This was apparently part of some kind of ritual and they couldn't interfere. He'd briefly skimmed the document Angelina handed him. He'd read it in detail later to know who signed it and who did not. No doubt she was required to provide it. This was part of Hogwarts magic and no one could deviate. Or so he guessed. It all seemed so surreal. But at least he wasn't attacked. Yet.

Harry opened the Gryffindor portal and made one last statement. "The last time you turned on me, in my second year, I forgave you. There will not be any more chances. Don't even try." He stared directly at both Angelina and Alicia. Then he looked over at Ron. The two older girls just smiled. Ron seemed to falter a bit, then he recovered and stared back defiantly.

As Harry closed the door, he closed the door on so much more than just a common room. Friendships, happy memories, Quidditch, and camaraderie that went beyond just memories and friendship. Protection was there, or at least there used to be. Now there was loneliness. But with loneliness came self-reliance. Freedom to be and do what he wanted. To follow his own code of ethics.

As the door closed, Harry felt a slight tingle of magic. Looking down at his clothes, he saw there were no longer any Gryffindor colours. Where once there had been Red and Gold, there as now just Black and Grey. Somehow, that seemed to make it all sink in. He was alone. Except for Dobby, that is. Good old, reliable, Dobby. Wheels were in motion, but where would it take him?

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmasters Office**

**Emergency Faculty Meeting**

**Senior Staff Only**

Albus Dumbledore kicked off the meeting. "Well, I'm sure I don't need to tell you all why we are here. Someone put Harry Potter's name in the Goblet of Fire and we now have a security issue. Further, Mr. Potter was attacked in his dorm last night, resulting in multiple injuries sustained by eleven of his Gryffindor house-mates. Now, we need to determine the right path forward for the tournament and Mr. Potter's protection.

Minerva McGonagall spoke first, "He should be expelled! Not only has he embarrassed the school, but he incited a riot in the Gryffindor common room that resulted in injured students. Furthermore, he showed no remorse!"

Snape quickly added, "I concur."

Fillius Flitwick was about to speak, but Alastor Moody beat him to it. "HA! What Kitty-Kat and Turncoat fail to mention is that Potter didn't start it. He only used the Protego spell. Any injuries came from the curses bouncing off his shield. Now let's talk about the _insults_ you made about his father." With a wave of his wand, everyone heard McGonagall and Snape insult Harry's Father.

_Minerva McGonagall's voice stated, "You are just like your father! Always causing problems and needing my help. Well, maybe you should have thought this through_ **_before_ ** _you entered yourself."_

_Severus Snape's voice then stated, "I quite agree Minerva, Mr. Potter is a Menace. To the school and to himself. Just like his_ ** _worthless_** _Father."_

It was a simple audio glamour charm, but it was obvious to Dumbledore that Moody had prepared the audible glamour in advance. But why would he want to undermine Minerva and Severus?

"Enough, Alastor! This does nothing to alleviate the problem!" Dumbledore was quite irritated that Alastor had resorted to such juvenile tactics, but he was glad to move away from talk on expelling Harry.

Fillius Flitwick looked at Minerva and Severus. "I can't believe you would say that. He was your godson, Minerva! Severus, Harry is not James. Stop treating him like he's your old school rival. It is… pathetic if you want the truth!"

Severus just looked at the small professor and said, "I didn't ask you."

Pomona Sprout looked over at Minerva in shock. "Minerva. Have you lost your mind?"

Dumbledore spoke over the rest of the now bickering staff. "ENOUGH!"

As everyone became silent, a Howler suddenly arrived. The staff looked at it in surprised curiosity. The Daily Prophet would not print the story until tomorrow… This had the seal of the Ancient and Noble house of Longbottom. Augusta was not one to write Howlers lightly.

Well. It seems the news travelled fast. Another letter arrived bearing the official Gringotts seal. It was from Director Ragnok himself. Well, at least it wasn't a Howler. Dumbledore considered the letters. He was certain they were about the Tri-Wizard Tournament. But how did they find out?

Dumbledore set the letters aside. "Now, let's continue the meeting. I am certain I will enjoy the content of those letters soon enough. I want Mr. Potter to be protected. Minerva, an escort through the halls between classes will be provided by a sixth or seventh year prefect. I'll leave it to you to assign the rotation. Severus, I want you to make sure your house leaves him alone."

Before either could object, another owl arrived with a Howler. This one was also from Madame Longbottom, but it was addressed to Minerva McGonagall. All she could say was "Oh, my." Apparently, Augusta Longbottom had somehow heard about Neville being injured in last night's brawl.

All the other teachers were looking on with concern now. Wondering if a Howler was heading their way as well. Dumbledore took out his wand and neutralised both Howlers. He knew Madame Longbottom would be informed that the Howlers had been neutralised before being opened, but that was a school matter and he would not tolerate embarrassing messages, no matter who they were from. Minerva looked somewhat horrified at having to explain to her old friend why she had neutralised the Howler.

"Looks like you got a little treat of your own Kit-Kat. HAHAHAHA!" Alastor Moody seemed to enjoy this the most. "Wait a minute, isn't she an old friend? HAHAHAHA! Now let's see if Turncoat gets one!"

"Alastor, ENOUGH!" Taking a deep breath, Dumbledore looked at his staff. "Now, if there are no further interruptions, back to the topics at hand. Minerva, a rotation of Prefect escorts will be required for Mr. Potter. Severus, I do not want any of your students bothering the boy, he has enough to deal with"

"Hear, hear! About time someone noticed." Surprisingly, this came from Fillius Flitwick. "What, none of you noticed how upset he was when his name came out? Or how your Slytherins target him continuously? I'll have a word or two with my students as well. Mr. Potter needs to be left alone! The bullying in this school is atrocious."

Pomona Sprout immediately agreed, saying, "Minerva, be on his side for once and protect that boy! The Potters would be ashamed of you. I can't believe you denigrated the memory of James Potter, your very own godson. And to his only son!"

Then the yelling began again. Minerva made cutting remarks back to her two co-workers. Severus insulted the name of Potter, and Moody just laughed. And laughed."

The group eventually calmed down, but the mood was tense. Alastor Moody had set everyone on edge. He seemed to go after Minerva and Severus the worst. He did pick up a few names for the other teachers, but none were as bad as Severus'. Pomona was 'Flower-Power' and Fillius was 'Half-Pint'. Pomona seemed to like her name, but Fillius was not amused. Dumbledore had to wonder, "Why was Alastor doing this?"

Just as the meeting was breaking up, another owl came in and delivered a note to Minerva.

She just huffed and said, "Oh dear Merlin, what now?" Looking at the letter, it was in an official Hogwarts envelope from the "House of Gryffindor". She opened it immediately.

All eyes were on her as she read the note. "Well, Albus, it looks like the Gryffindor prefects will not be escorting Mr. Potter around. Apparently, he has been a Declaration of Eiectio, removing him from Gryffindor house."

Albus Dumbledore was stunned. A Declaration of Eiectio had not occurred in over fifty years. And that was an extreme situation involving gross misconduct and an eventual expulsion. He could only imagine what poor Harry was going through. Would this drive him to go dark?

Feeling a massive headache coming, Dumbledore simply said, "Minerva, see to it that the Eiectio is revoked. Mr. Potter has enough problems without becoming a pariah."

"Albus, I'm not sure that's possible. The house has voted and expulsion has occurred. He has already vacated the tower, completing the requirements for Eiectio. After last night, I'm not even sure I want to reverse it. Potter is a menace."

Fillius interrupted, asking, "Can he be re-sorted? I'd like to have him in Ravenclaw."

Albus just shook his head. "No, Fillius. Unfortunately, he cannot. 'Eiectio' is an expulsion from the house system as a whole. Only an official Revocation can restore his status. And it will require a three quarter majority of Gryffindor students. Well, third year and up."

Minerva was suddenly feeling the impact of last night's conflict. "No, Albus. It will require a three quarter majority of the entire student population. Again, third year and up. Even that would only make him eligible for re-sorting. There is no guarantee he would be a Gryffindor."

A gruff voice then yelled out "Damn straight!" At first, everyone looked at Alastor Moody. But he just shrugged.

"Don't look at that moron. UP HERE!" There, up on a shelf, was the sorting hat. "He should have been a Slytherin from day one! Ambitious and cunning. He just happens to be crazy brave as well."

No one said anything.

Dumbledore stood up and calmly said, "On that note, it's time we adjourn the meeting. Minerva, I believe you are tasked with finding Mr. Potter accommodations. Until we can… sort this out. Now, I have two pressing letters to read. Delivered on a Sunday, no less" Sunday delivery was extremely expensive. They all realised there were some intense feelings from both Madame Longbottom and Gringotts.

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts**

**The Chamber of Secrets**

The way Harry had exited the chamber with Ginny in his second year, and how he brought the goblins into the chamber, was no longer functioning from the outside. Harry was forced to go through Myrtles bathroom again. Not the cleanest ride. Once inside, he was able to re-activate the staircase entrance with simple Parseltongue instructions. Looking at the whole chamber and shifting his vision to see deeper magic, Harry could tell this chamber was integrated into the wards and basic magic of Hogwarts. Dumbledore could not simply 'turn it off'. Harry would be very careful not to let on that he had re-opened the Chamber of Secrets. He knew that would make him even less popular than he already was.

Speaking Parseltongue seemed to be the key down here. Harry was able to illuminate the whole room merely with a command of "§ _Illuminate§._ " Starting in the middle, Harry walked up to the statue where the Basilisk had emerged from. It took him a few minutes to remember the exact phrase to open the Basilisks chamber, but he got there eventually. " **§Speak to me the greatest of Hogwarts Founders§** ". Harry really thought it was slightly different, but it was close enough, or so he guessed. The mouth opened and Harry went in. The room where the Basilisk lived was round and cosy. Likely some kind of permanent warming spell for the Basilisk. Dobby was using his magic to clean and sanitise the room. Amazing how fast elves can work! Good place to sleep, even if a little odd with its round walls.

Dobby brought Harry's trunk and bed to the round room. Afterward, they decided to continue exploring. It took a while, but Harry found a side room with a small shower, a toilet and a sink. It was like the kind he imagined would exist in a fancy office. Coincidentally, in a separate alcove, there was an office space with a desk and enormous book shelf. Apparently, Tom Riddle had found it too, as the book shelf was bare. Or maybe Dumbledore had found it when they harvested the Basilisk. It didn't really matter. Harry considered making the office his bedroom, but he liked it too much as an office for him to study in.

Harry looked around. It was still the Chamber of Secrets. Not really a place for relaxing. "Dobby, I've got an idea. Do you think you can find lights? Christmas lights? Holiday Decorations?"

Dobby just looked at Harry curiously, then nodded.

Seeing Dobby's hesitation, Harry added, "It's just kind of creepy down here. If we decorate the area and make it festive, it will feel like a home. I hope" Harry always loved Christmas lights at the Dursley house. He could see the lights through the slot in his cupboard. Later, when he stayed at Hogwarts, Christmas decorations always made it feel so warm.

"Yes, Dobby can make this feel like Christmas." He seemed so happy.

"That would be great, Dobby. Now… any chance you could move in with me? I'd like to have a friend here. I understand if you can't, but…"

Harry was silenced when Dobby leapt into his arms. "Yes, Harry Potter! Dobby will move in! Dobby is FRIENDS with Harry Potter." And the crying started. Harry realised he needed Dobby as much as Dobby needed him. They were both lonely misfits.

"Look, Dobby. I know you are a free elf, but if you ever decide you want a family, one that will love you for who you are, consider being a Potter elf."

"Dobby has already bonded… Hehehe. Dobby is sorry he didn't tell Harry Potter, but he was getting weak. Pipsey says it is OK…" suddenly, Dobby's hand flew to his mouth and his eyes bulged.

Harry somehow recognized the name. "Pipsey?"

Suddenly, there was a pop and another house elf appeared. She wore a small dress and had a surprised look on her face. "Master, Harry? You called Pipsey?" She seemed ecstatic. Less hyper than Dobby, but so very happy. She felt familiar somehow…

"Pipsey, do I know you? I feel like I do." Harry could feel something. A slight pull. Now that he thought about it, he felt the same thing with Dobby. And with Hedwig.

The happy elf began nodding quickly, "Pipsey held tiny Harry. Pipsey also took care of little James and sweet Lily. Lord Charlus and Lady Dorea brought Pipsey into the family."

"Wait, are you a Potter family elf?" This was beyond surprising.

"Yes! Dumby-door tells Pipsey to stay away until tiny Harry calls Pipsey. But, Pipsey does chores for Harry Potter! When Harry Potter sleeps." Pipsey was practically jumping up and down now.

"So, let me get this straight. I have a family house elf. One that knew my parents and my grandparents. Someone that could have been my friend all those nights I was lonely. And Dumbledore kept this from me." Harry's words were not laced with venom. The elves just looked at their shoes.

"Well, things are going to change now. Dumbledore is a liar." In the back of Harrys mind he heard a familiar phrase – 'Don't trust Dumbledore'.

-DoD—

Harry worked with the elves to make the chamber of Secrets liveable. It really is amazing how much two house elves can do in a few hours. Sadly, no matter what they did, it was still the Chamber of Secrets and not a comfy bedroom. The Christmas lights looked funny down here, draped over the heads of giant snakes. It was less creepy, but that's not saying much. They broke for lunch when Harry realised he had not eaten all day and it was probably mid-afternoon. While eating a wonderful grilled cheese, Harry wondered, 'how do you make someplace like this into a cosy area to live'?

Maybe he should just focus on the 'round room'. Hang up posters and pictures and stuff. "Hey guys, do either of you know if there is unused furniture I can get to make the bedroom feel more like a… bedroom?"

Pipsey and Dobby traded looks, then Pipsey said, "We can check the come and go room. There be lots of things in there."

After a few minutes, the two elves came back with a set of drawers, an armoire, and a bunch of knick-knacks. Harry also asked Dobby to get the contents out of his Quidditch locker.

Looking about and trying to see magic, Harry did discover three other ways out of the chamber. One of them led to a relatively abandoned area of Hogwarts. Apparently, there were once more students attending. Likely, the wars hurt enrolment and cut into the population, making the extra space unnecessary. It was odd seeing the empty class rooms. Sad in a way.

One other exit area led to Snape's office! Thank god the man was not in and didn't ward the back panelling of his office. Of course, without Parseltongue, the back panel would lead to nothing but stone. Harry closed that door as fast as he possibly could. He knew it was very close to the Slytherin common room. Maybe one day, he would need this.

The final additional exit was to the outside. It was a rocky area and heavily shielded by Hogwarts wards. No one would be able to enter this without Parseltongue. Harry wondered if Voldemort's followers could gain entry to the castle though this space. He'd have to discuss with Bill at some point. Shut it down to outside access – making it exit only.

Harry was getting hungry again. He went back into the Chamber and took a hot shower. The pipes complained a bit at first, but Dobby and Pipsey made them work correctly with a bit of their magic. The shower helped. Once cleaned and re-dressed, Harry decided to stay in, so Pipsey made him a Shepherd's pie for dinner. A little pumpkin juice was brought in as well. There was no water in the chamber Harry trusted, so he used the water creation charm to produce what he needed. He could do this. He didn't need anyone. Well, other than Dobby and Pipsey.

Settling in, Harry cast a few warming spells. Dobby moved in, but Pipsey thought she should stay with the other house elves. She was concerned that Dumby-door might not like what they were doing, and the other elves might talk.

Harry finally decided to look over the Declaration of Eiectio! The column had two areas. Those in favour of Eiectio, those against, and those abstaining. He saw that Ron had signed it. Fred and George had abstained. A few of the third years had also abstained. Katie, Colin, Neville, Hermione, and Ginny had voted against. They had their two thirds Majority.

Harry really didn't understand all the terminology. It looked like Old English mixed with Latin. Why couldn't they just write in English? Harry used his 'copy' charm and transferred the content to blank sheets of paper. Thinking about it a minute, he repeated the process and made a second copy. He planned to send a copy to both Sirius and Ragnok, along with a note asking if they could recommend a lawyer to look it over and advise him.

While he was writing, Dobby brought in a small bed for himself. Once Harry finished his brief letters and attached a copy of the Declaration to each of them, they joked around until Harry finally fell asleep. All in all, it was a long Sunday, but Harry knew Monday would be awful… So he made Sunday stretch as long as possible.

**-DoD—**

The next day, Harry got dressed and ascended to the abandoned part of the castle. He was using his cloak to get around as he really did not want to get caught. Once upstairs, he sent off the letters to Sirius and Ragnok, then he ate in the Kitchens with the house elves. Next stop, Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. He timed it so he would arrive at the last minute and not have to talk to anyone.

When he showed up, professor Sprout did a double take. "Mr. Potter! Where have you been?" Suddenly, everyone turned around. Most of the stares were angry, Hermione and Neville were the exceptions.

Harry just stared. He'd have to come up with a story. Where? Think think think think… "I'm here now, ma'am. I skipped breakfast." Well, not really, but Harry didn't want anyone to know he goes to the kitchen for food.

"You disappeared for 24 hours. The whole school was searching for you. Where were you?"

"I found a cupboard to sleep in." Harry hoped she would accept that. The rest of the class laughed at him. Damn, he didn't think of that. Harry expected that from his ex-house, but not the Hufflepuffs. They may be a bunch of gossips, but they usually aren't cruel.

"You caused a great deal of trouble yesterday Mr. Potter. You need to go see your head of house immediately." Harry noted a look of sadness on her face. She talked like she was angry, but she looked like she was relieved. And sad.

"I no longer have a head of house, ma'am." More laughter. Malicious.

Professor Sprout flashed angry for a moment, "That will be twenty five points from both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff." At first, Harry thought she was angry with him, but she was angry at the laughter. That was a bit of a surprise.

"Now, Mr. Potter. Given your unusual circumstances, perhaps you should go see the headmaster." She looked like she had more to say, but didn't. Harry noted more angry looks. The loss of points was making their attitude even worse.

"Yes, ma'am."

Harry walked slowly and deliberately. He needed to avoid mentioning Pipsey or Dobby. Definitely no mention of the chamber. He slowly made his way to Professor Dumbledores office. He did not have a password. When he got to the gargoyle, he just waited. Eventually, the door opened and Harry walked up the steps.

Professor Dumbledore was sitting at his desk. "Please come in and have a seat, Harry. Professor McGonagall will be here shortly." And Harry just sat. He had nothing to say. After perhaps three minutes, Professor McGonagall arrived.

"Well, Mr. Potter. It appears you have resurfaced." She looked supremely upset. Harry just stayed silent.

After an uncomfortable minute, Dumbledore spoke up, "Harry, I know what a difficult weekend you had. While I am very sorry for what you went through, it is not acceptable for you to just disappear. Where have you been?"

"I found a quiet broom cupboard and decided to have a quiet day." Time to up the ante a bit, "You may remember that my parents were killed on Halloween. Yet, every year I am forced to attend a big party. This year was even worse thanks to the cowards in Gryffindor."

To their credit, they seemed genuinely stunned and possibly embarrassed. Apparently, they had never considered what Halloween meant for Harry.

Dumbledore recovered, "I admit, I never thought of how that day might affect you. I am genuinely sorry, Harry. I must ask, why didn't you go to see Professor McGonagall? Miss Johnson says that you were directed to professor McGonagall."

"Yes, I'd like to know this as well, Mr. Potter." McGonagall seemed disturbed.

"Based on your comments, I decided you were the last person I should go to for help. Seeing as how I am just like my father. Always causing problems and needing your help." Pausing a moment, Harry added, "I don't know why you hate my father, but I can assure you that I _hate you_ just as much."

"I never hated your father! I only disliked some of the tricks he played on other students." Wow, Harry noted that he just struck a nerve. Well, might as well strike it again.

"Name one prank I have ever played. But for what it's worth, I hate you enough for both my father and for me. I'm glad to be out of your horrible house."

Dumbledore tried to diffuse the conflict in his grandfatherly way, "Harry, that kind of talk solves nothing! You caused quite an emergency yesterday. Between sending letters to Lady Longbottom and Gringotts, then disappearing. Even the Minister was called in."

"What does that have to do with my hatred of Professor McGonagall?" They both just paused and stared at each other. One defiant, the other disappointed.

"And why do you profess to hate me so much Mr. Potter?" She was trying to recover.

Harry actually laughed. "You want a list? Honestly, it's a long one. So much for our _clean slate_." She just stared. Unreadable.

Dumbledore pulled out the Grandfather act. "Harry, I'm afraid this is not acceptable behaviour. You will have to have detention for the way you are behaving. And no more letters."

"Why not? To the best of my recollection, I only requested aid and assistance from Gringotts and my letter to Lady Longbottom was offering to purchase a new wand for Neville. How is that a problem for you? Everything I wrote was the truth. Is it the truth that's the problem for you or did you just resent having to answer for your own incompetence?"

McGonagall flared up at that, "Mr. Potter! You should show more respect to your headmaster." Dumbledore just quietly stared. Disappointment. Concern. Blah-blah-blah.

Harry wasn't done, "I think it's high time I engaged the press. I can't wait to tell them details of what happens in this school."

Both Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore looked far more alarmed than they had up until that point. Everyone was silent.

Dumbledore broke the silence, "That will be detention, Mr. Potter. For a month. With Mr. Filch." Wow, he was breaking out the worst.

"No."

McGonagall gasped, "What do you mean, 'no'. You will do as the headmaster says and that's the end of it."

"According to the Goblet of Fire, I'm not a student here. Magical binding contract. Add in the Gryffindor attack and then my expulsion for defending myself… Nope. According to the Goblet, I'm a Gringotts student and that means Director Ragnok is my Headmaster. I don't see you punishing the Veela Princess for her nasty comments last night." Go for broke… "Once I finish this god forsaken tournament, I intend to transfer to another school. You'll have to kill your own Basilisks from now on"

While his teachers were stunned, Harry got up and walked out.

Albus looked over at Minerva. They were both stunned. "It seems we have made one too many mistakes with young Harry."

"Albus, maybe we should let him go. He clearly has no place here."

"No, Minerva. Harry will stay here until he graduates. Like his parents and grandparents before him. It is most disturbing how much he has decided to proclaim his hatred. I fear how being isolated will affect him."

—DoD—

Harry went to the kitchens to eat. While there, Dobby brought him his mail. Reading it was interesting. The first letter was from Gringotts. Director Ragnok expressed his shock, but vowed to support 'his' student. He asked for the names of the cowardly students that attacked him and the names of the students that sided with him. He is requesting a meeting to discuss strategies and tournament rules. He is also pulling Bill in to act as instructor.

Harry wrote out a letter thanking Director Ragnok. He said any day would work, but suggested all day Tuesday and Friday afternoons would be best so as not to interfere with classes that may help him. Harry also provided the names of the students that he knew had attacked him and the ones that stood by him. He gave as good a recollection of the battle as he could remember. He also stressed the declaration provided the best listing as he could not see where all the spells came from.

The next letter was from Madame Longbottom. She was thanking Harry for standing beside Neville and expressed her pride in how her Grandson had reinforced their alliance. She also sent a list of books Harry should read. All of it 'Battle Magic'. No wonder Neville was afraid of his Gran. Harry would give the list to Bill.

Harry sent her a letter thanking her for the support. No mention of a new wand... He'd let Neville take it from there.

The third was Hermione. Hermione was requesting to meet. Wow. Apparently, the cessation of violence was dependent on only allowing the speaker to talk – in this case Angelina. No wonder she and Ginny had been so quiet. Harry thought he remembered a few others speaking, but mostly Angelina. Reading further, Hermione had tried to argue his case and even tried to Filibuster… what the heck was that? Anyway, she and Ginny and Neville had looked for him all yesterday and now asked to meet after Arithmancy in the class room after everyone leaves.

Harry wrote a brief acceptance of the meeting. It would be in a few hours.

Harry had sent Bills note to Gringotts London, so they coupled get it to Bill faster. Sirius on the other hand, would have a delivery delay due to distance. He could wait.

—DoD—

**Later that day**

Harry had both Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Everyone seemed to be angry with him. Just like third year. A few hexes came his way, but he easily shielded or dodged them all. Harry wanted to partner with Hermione in Ancient Runes, but Ron moved in. Fine. Harry was doing Newt level work anyway. Hermione would be the only one to really suffer. She'd have to help the GIT.

Neville then came over and sat with him. "Harry, I don't know what you said to my Gran, but thanks. She told me she was proud. Proud of ME! For helping you, Harry!"

"That's great, Neville. I only told her the truth. You stood by me when almost everyone else didn't. I am proud to have you as a friend. I hope she'll let me get you a new wand soon." Then the class started and they had to stop talking.

Once Ancient Runes ended, they went to attend Arithmancy. This is a tough class and the class size got even smaller. Ron left to go to study hall. Or in his case, Chess practice. Everywhere he went, he had dirty looks. Occasionally, someone hexed him. Usually, he managed to dodge or shield himself. Occasionally he had to cast a 'finite!' to end the occasional leg lock or dancing hex. Harry was powerful enough that it had minimal impact on him, but it was annoying and insulting.

After Arithmancy, Neville and Ginny joined them in the empty class room.

Ginny spoke first, "Harry, I'm so sorry they did that to you. I wanted to talk to you, but they would have seen that as an excuse to hex you. It was Angelina. She called for the Eiectio! She was so bitter that you were selected over her. I just don't understand why they acted that way."

Hermione and Neville were nodding along. Adding the occasional, "It's true".

Harry then spoke up and said, "I understand guys. I don't like it, but I knew something was up. I promise you, I didn't put my name in! I don't know who did and… this all stinks." Looking at the group he asked, "What about Colin and Katie?"

Hermione shrugged and said, "We don't know Katie well enough and Colin keeps getting into fights. I don't want to feed that flame. You know how he gets around you, always trying to prove himself. Like he has to _prove_ he's a Gryffindor. Brining him would have made things worse. I'm sorry."

Harry nodded. He suspected the scar affected Colin the way it did Neville. It caused self-esteem and confidence problems. The main difference, Colin would fight in a second and Neville was just very kind and withdrawn.

"What about Ron and the Twins? I saw Ron signed in favour of the declaration, but the Twins 'abstained'. How did they justify that?"

Ginny addressed her family, "Ron is getting positive attention for the first time ever. He's loving it. Angelina says she is willing to see him try out for Keeper next year. She's letting him practice with the team. The twins couldn't decide. One was in favour and one was not. The met in the middle."

Harry just shook his head, "Great. Do they go to the bathroom together too? Seriously, now I don't know which one to hold a grudge against."

Neville shyly said, "Maybe that's the real reason they did it Harry."

Harry hadn't thought of that. "What do you mean?"

Ginny said, "Harry, the money you gave my family is paying their tuition. If mum and dad found out they ejected you…" Harry was stunned.

That's right! Harry had forgotten that. He paid their tuition. Bastards. Oh my god. He gave all that money to them and to the school. And **this** is how they thank him. Harry wanted to just scream.

Hermione picked up on his pain and came over to hug him. He just let her. "Harry, where are you staying? Are you really in a cupboard somewhere?"

"I moved back into the Chamber of Secrets" Harry said it flatly and without emotion. Ginny gasped.

"I didn't want to, but I had nowhere else to go. Every time I turn around, people are hexing me. At least no one can get to me there."

Ginny looked horrified. "Is it safe?"

"Oh yeah, there's nothing down there at all. Just me and Dobby." Seeing everyone freeze up, he added, "It's safe, just kind of creepy."

Hermione jumped in, "Harry, Professor McGonagall was supposed to find you a place to sleep. Why didn't you go to her?"

Harry just shook his head. "Hermione, you need to stop thinking McGonagall is worth a damn. She lets Snape bully all the Gryffindors, she never raises a hand to help me, she assigns horribly unfair punishments, and apparently, she hated my dad. So, I hate her too."

Hermione winced and gently said, "Harry, she doesn't hate your parents."

Harry set his jaw and looked directly at his best friend. "Hermione, when my name came out of the cup and I tried to ask her for help, she said, ' _You are just like your father! Always causing problems and needing my help. Well, maybe you should have thought this through_ ** _before_** _you entered yourself.'_ Then Snape said a few choice things about how awful my dad was. She didn't even disagree. So… I hate them both and I will not be attending potions."

"Harry, if she actually said that… I need to ask Gran what this means. That may result in a family something or another. It gets confusing with Tier Two Alliances."

Harry just looked on dumbfounded. "What is a tier two alliance?"

Hermione shook her head, "That can wait. What are you doing now?"

With a deep breath Harry said, "I have a meeting with Ragnok this week. Bill is coming to the school to be my official Gringotts 'instructor'. I also wrote Sirius for advice. I need a lawyer or something."

Neville looked confused. "Getting a lawyer is a good idea, Harry, But why Gringotts? Why reach out to Ragnok over someone in the ministry?"

Harry had a bitter laugh. "Apparently, I was entered as if I was from a fourth school. Since I have been apprenticed to Bill, through Gringotts, for curse-breaking… I was entered as a Gringotts student. Otherwise, the cup would have ignored me."

Neville's eyes grew huge. "Harry, do you know what this means? How you are treated is now a reflection on how Gringotts is treated. If they find out about the Eiectio… This could be bad, Harry. Real bad. Goblins always have felt persecuted. You may now be the face of Goblin persecution."

"It's alright, Neville. Harry's not going to say anything. Are you Harry?" Hermione was asking and telling.

Harry ran his hand through his hair. "I sent them a copy of the declaration. I told them about the way I as ambushed in the common room. I told them you were all attacked as well and Neville went to the infirmary. I told them we sent ten of the attackers to the infirmary as well. Director Ragnok asked for the names of the attackers and I gave it to the best of my knowledge, but I also told him I knew there were others, and just to look at the declaration."

No one spoke. Not a word.

"So… what did I cause?" Harry was beginning to feel a sense of dread now.

"Well, some of us will likely be treated very well at Gringotts, and some of us won't. I think this explains why the minister was here looking for you yesterday." Neville was thinking intently.

Harry just laughed and shrugged. "Good. Well, I have to go to see Professor Flitwick for my eight o'clock detention. Thanks guys. Please don't tell anyone where I'm staying. I don't need any more of that 'heir of Slytherin' garbage. Thanks for being true friends." He hugged Hermione and Ginny, then clasped Neville's shoulder and left.

— **DoD—**

**Professor Flitwick's Detention**

His meeting with Professor Flitwick was odd. They practiced the volleying shield, both with a wand and bare handed. The wand was easier and stronger, but Harry could volley most simple hexes with a volleying shield on his bare hand. With practice, Professor Flitwick thought he could even match most duellists' wand generated shields. The difficulty was dialling it in without making it a ball. Before they broke for the night, Professor Flitwick took him aside and sat him down.

"Mr. Potter, I feel I must warn you. When you were identified as the Gringotts champion, Director Ragnok took a massive interest in you. Considering your fame and unexpected success as a prodigy curse-breaker, you need to understand Goblin culture better than you do. You will be under a great deal of scrutiny."

'Sir, what do you mean? I have books, but I honestly haven't done more than skim them. There is just so little time…" Harry knew he had time, but he chose to spend it reading other books on magic. Etiquette was so boring.

"Make time, Harry. You already made one mistake when you named attackers. Then you compounded it when you shared the Declaration. Those families are now or soon will be harassed at Gringotts. Did you know your letters are posted at the London branch for all to see? That terrible Declaration with all the signatures is posted right beside it? It looks like the 'Boy Who Lived' is under constant attack at Hogwarts. As a representative of Gringotts, the Goblin Nation views it as if **they** were under attack. Did you know the tellers now have lightning bolt tie pins? All I am asking is, please, try not to inflame Director Ragnok."

"Sir, you should know that I was hexed over 30 times today just walking between classes. I AM under constant attack." Harry was getting irritated.

Professor Flitwick just smiled. "No, Harry. You were attacked in your common room. I'll give you that. But a few Hexes in the hall? That is like a handshake to a goblin. If Director Ragnok asks, this is simple banter. If he believes you were attacked, then finds out it was just 'Jelly Legs', he will not respect you at all. When you mentioned the fact that you sent ten attackers to the infirmary, you gained his respect. Don't lose it by crying over a 'tickling' hex or a 'leg locker' jinx. You will go from being a hero to a joke. A typical wizard who can't hold his own. Do you see what I mean, Harry? Image matters! Remember, you killed a Basilisk when you were twelve years old. Act like it."

Harry was taken aback. "Sir, are you saying I should just… take it?"

Flitwick looked shocked, "Heavens No! That would be almost as bad as crying about it. Volley the Hexes back. Why do you think I have been training you? Stand up for yourself, but don't be the aggressor. Minerva and Severus already seem to be looking for an excuse to punish you. **Don't** give it to them."

Harry understood. He nodded, but asked, "So, what is the difference between an attack and a… nothing serious jinx?"

"If you need Madame Pomphrey's assistance, then you have been attacked. As a final word, some of the families you named will likely be looking to get even. I'm told a few of the families have been unable to withdraw a single knut. Something about accounting errors. They literally spend all day in lines trying to withdraw a few galleons." Professor Flitwick just shook his head.

"I know what it is like to be targeted, Harry. To be looked down on and made to feel worthless. I am not blind to what you have gone through. Believe me when I say I am helping you avoid the mistakes I have made. Now, read those books. I would expect a visit tomorrow the way the Gringotts employees are all worked up."

"Thank you, sir. This has been very helpful." Harry intended to read that entire book before he fell asleep. Or as much as he could, anyway.

— **DoD** —

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Eiectio = Latin for casting out, banishment, ejection, expelling.
> 
> The first task was getting closer, but still defining differences from Canon. McGonagall is still not there for him. Harry has gone back to year 2, but now he has backing from Bill, Sirius, Fillius, and even Hermione. Hermione shows far less trust in authority figures than in canon. Writing 'Moody' is fun, but he is at heart a bully and a jerk.
> 
> Like so many other Fan Fictions, Harry moves into the Chamber of Secrets. not original, but really the only option. it just works. The Christmas lights are all me. I like the idea of a Griswold Christmas in the Chamber of Secrets. fun. Pipsey is back. Dobby is bonded. The Hannah/Susan ambush is pending, as is the first task.
> 
> till next time.


	13. Chapter 13

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fourth year will be split between having 'summary' chapters and new chapters focusing more on where divergence from Canon occurs. I do not want to re-tell what most readers already know, but I will spotlight where divergence occurs. The more time goes by, the greater the divergence. Year five will be a full split.**

**Special thanks to 'Just William', this story's Beta Reader, for the excellent feedback and corrections.**

— **DoD 13—**

**Discussions and Discoveries**

**The Next Day**

**Hogwarts**

When Harry woke up, he decided to do like the other schools and wear 'his' uniform. He put on his Gringotts suit. It was perfect. He only had one, though, so he had to make it last. Dobby helped him with his cuff links and Pipsey shined his shoes. Harry debated, but decided to add the Kukri knife. It was part of the uniform. Harry did not want to eat in the cafeteria, almost no one would want him at their table. He asked Pipsey to get him something light to eat. Once finished, Harry proceeded up to his first class. It was history of magic and he did not plan to be there long.

Harry sat in the back to be unnoticed and stayed in History of Magic just long enough for Professor Binn's to call role, then he quietly left. While walking down the Halls, he was met by Colin Creevey.

"Harry, you have a visitor. Someone from Gringotts. The Headmaster asked me to come and get you. Are you doing alright? I wanted to talk to you, but…"

"I know. The declaration requires all dissenters to stay quiet and only the speaker could talk. Although I'm sure Ron asked about my trunk. I'm fine Colin. Thanks for not signing the declaration, you're a good friend."

"You're welcome Harry. You know, a lot of people don't think I should even be in Gryffindor… You've always stood by me, though." Colin then proceeded to tell Harry how he is so small and everyone looks down on him… etc.

Harry nodded along, but he knew this was the curse in his scar talking. Well, better Colin overcompensate a bit than throw curses at him. Still, he felt for the guy. They waked to the Headmasters office.

Once there, Harry went up the stairs and there was Minister Fudge, Director Ragnok, Bill Weasley, Dumbledore, and McGonagall. Sitting on Bill's shoulder was a silver owl Patronus. It was huge. Maybe an Eagle owl… he actually felt his scar tighten up a bit and stop projecting. Harry knew casting the Patronus had damaged his scar, but apparently, just being near one dampened it down considerably.

The meeting lasted over four hours. They discussed the tournament rules. The need for Harry to participate. The lack of adequate security on the goblet. The attack on Harry in the common room. The need for adequate representation from Gringotts. The fact that Harry was no longer a part of the house system within Hogwarts. The way Gringotts had been retaliating against the families. And Harry's safety.

Director Ragnok asked Harry for his opinion. That was new.

"Let's start with the reprisals against the cowardly Gryffindor house families," He saw McGonagall flinch at that. Good. "I say let it be. No reprisals."

Minister Fudge actually interrupted to say, "Thank You, Harry."

Why did they all think they could just call him 'Harry'?

Seeing that Ragnok did not appear happy, Harry looked at him and added, "The families should be ashamed, but they can deal with that in their own time. Their children's behaviour only illustrates their lack of honour. That makes them no different than the vast majority of wizards and witches I have encountered here at the school."

Minister Fudge spoke up again, "Shameful behaviour! Rest assured, Harry, their families will set them straight!" Harry knew Fudge had gotten what he wanted. But he had one more thing to say.

"The Gryffindors voted me out saying my behaviour did not align with their house. Well, I agree. I am nothing like the majority of them. I am proud to no longer be associated with those cowards and I look forward to transferring to another school or having private instructions when the tournament is over. My time at Hogwarts is done."

Dumbledore very quietly addressed him, "That is a decision for your magical Guardian, Harry. Now, are you finished?" He had clearly heard enough.

"Not really, but I don't see any point continuing. You know your failures as well as I do. Now, who is my magical guardian? I'd like to find out so I can ask them why they have failed me as much as your school has." Harry just stared at Dumbledore. He was still angry about his keeping Pipsey from him.

Minister Fudge shook his head in exasperation, "Harry, Albus Dumbledore is your Magical Guardian. You should know that by now. Albus, haven't you been instructing the lad? He's Harry Patter for Merlin's sake"

"No… that can't be." Harry just looked on. Stunned.

Dumbledore just calmly responded, "I'm afraid it's true."

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room. Bill got up and walked over to Harry. "Harry, are you OK?"

Harry continued in a flat low voice, "As far as my security, well… Yesterday alone, I was hexed over thirty times both in the halls and in the classes." Seeing the looks of alarm, he hastily added, "The hexes are nothing major. Just silly and pathetic attempts to get my attention. But if they get worse, I will respond in kind."

Dumbledore was tired, but he stayed in control, "You will be safe within Hogwarts. However, any attacks you receive will be addressed by the faculty. If you respond, your wand will be confiscated."

Harry pulled out his Kukri knife. "Then I'll respond with this." Holding it 'nose down' he drove it point first into the table. It didn't go very deep, and the curved blade made it less than ideal for piercing, but his message was clear. He was making a show for Ragnok. If he backed down now…

Dumbledore did not like that one bit. "Weapons are not allowed at Hogwarts. I will have to confiscate that knife." It flew from the table and into his hand.

McGonagall exclaimed, "Knife? It is more like a… machete. Why did you even bring this to school?"

Harry ignored McGonagall and shook his head. "The Kukri knife is part of my Gringotts uniform. Which I am wearing. I believe the Durmstrang students have a similar weapon they wear on their belts. Are you going to confiscate the Durmstrang students of their knives?" After a moment of silence, Harry said under his breath, "Hypocrite."

Minister Fudge had heard enough. "This is **preposterous.** Albus, get control of your school! Hexing in the halls? Eiectio of a student for defending himself? What has happened to Hogwarts?" Looking over at Harry, "Harry, you need to work **WITH** the school. What would your parents say? Why, Minerva was your father's godmother!"

Harry actually gasped and took a step back. "What? My father's _godmother_? After the way you and Snape insulted him? You Fucking BITCH!" Harry was barely holding back tears now. He had lost every hope of leaving Hogwarts now that he knew Dumbledore was his Magical Guardian. How the hell did that happen?

Ragnok was actually chuckling now. This was no longer a meeting for him, this was a show! Dumbledore yelled out "Language!" McGonagall looked both affronted and embarrassed. Bill rubbed his forehead.

Fudge exclaimed, "Minerva? You insulted the boy's Father? Albus, this school needs help! Harry, while I can't condone the language, I can assure you there **will be** changes around here!" He stood up, put on his silly hat. "Director Ragnok, I trust the reprisals will end. Albus, get control. Quickly. Either you fix this school, or I'll send in someone who will!" And he walked out the door. That was the most backbone Harry had ever seen from the man.

Dumbledore looked solemnly at Harry. "Perhaps you should return to class now. I believe we can wrap things up from here."

Harry had one last thing to say before he left in utter defeat. "My mother left me notes." Suddenly, everyone was now looking at him. "Do you know what she said about **you** , Headmaster? 'Don't trust Dumbledore, he lies'. Now I understand."

With one last look back, he made eye contact with Dumbledore. "One day I will repay this world for the 'kindness' it has shown me over the years. I plan to start with you."

Harry turned and left. He threw on his cloak and ran to the Chamber of Secrets. He didn't want anyone to see him break down. He tried to be strong and make a point, only to have Dumbledore outmanoeuvre him. Effortlessly.

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts**

**The Quidditch Pitch**

**Later that day Early Evening**

Harry and Bill were talking on the stands. Bill had sent his owl Patronus to Harry after the meeting and asked to talk. They could see the other students watching them, but Bill had raised a privacy charm – 'Muffliato'. Bill's Patronus was resting on Harry's shoulder. Harry could feel the scar withdrawing. As much grief as it had caused him this year, it felt good to get a little payback.

Bill had hypothesised that if Harry casting the Patronus damaged the curse, then being in proximity of one would dampen its effects. He was correct. As a cover, Bill had explained to Dumbledore that he needed the positive emotions it brought due to a curse he had contacted in Egypt. He didn't think Dumbledore bought it, but he seemed very happy at the revelation.

"I feel fairly certain Dumbledore knows about your curse, Harry. I could literally see the light coming on when I talked about needing the Patronus. Expect to see him with his Patronus more frequently around you."

Seeing no response from Harry, Bill asked, "Do you want to talk about this, Harry?"

"Did you know, Bill? That Dumbledore is my magical guardian?"

"Yes, Harry. His name was on the approval for you to get curse-breaker training. Honestly, you have other relatives. Not close, but still. Something about this is odd."

"Bill, I know I ask a lot of you, but can you help me find a lawyer? I need help. You saw how he tried to steal the Basilisk from me. He really can't be trusted."

"Yeah. I saw that. The fact that you know so very little about our world… Look, sit tight. Don't make any trouble. I said I was in this for the long haul and I meant it. But I need **you** to keep that temper under control. No more outbursts. None! And don't insult any teachers. Your parting comment really upset Dumbledore. I've never seen him that shaken. It almost seemed to scare him."

Harry nodded.

Bill continued, "Now, technically, you ARE a Gringotts student, at least until the tournament is over. You can skip any class you don't want to take and you are exempt from end of year exams. Don't go to **any** class where you have hostile teachers. Like Snape. Or even McGonagall. I have no clue what happened to her."

Bill continued, "So, Gringotts cannot set up camp here. Something in the last Armistice between our races. But you are allowed to visit Gringotts on 'Hogsmeade Weekends', so don't do anything to affect that. Meanwhile, I'm allowed on site as your new instructor. With a little luck, we may be able to check all the boxes. I can teach you a few things and run interference with the staff, but I can't stay all day. I can only maintain my Patronus for so long and I need to work on the other key points."

"OK, Bill." Looking up and thinking, Harry shared his disappointment, "He really outmanoeuvred me, didn't he? It was so easy for him."

"There was no 'outmanoeuvring' Harry. He just has all the cards. Any manoeuvring he did was when you were a baby. You caused him far more problems today than you know. Ragnok now knows you are under Dumbledore's control, and he didn't like that one bit. But your move with the Kukri knife resonated **very** well with him. I have no doubt that image will be passed around Gringotts. Also, the Minister was shocked. Recent years have gotten worse and the staff seems to just 'let it go' when students hex one another. Dumbledore will have his hands full keeping that man and his minions out of Hogwarts. Believe me when I say, the ministry in Hogwarts would be a disaster."

"So, nothing bad came from this?" Harry was hopeful...

Bill took a breath and nodded, "Actually, yes. Dumbledore has officially ended your apprenticeship until you are of age. But he can't do it until after the tournament." Harry just put his head in his hands.

"I'm losing everything." He was heart sick.

Bill considered stopping, but he continued, "Minerva broke down in tears after you took off. Your comment about Lily's message struck home. Apparently, your mother had shared the same message with her before your parents were killed. Dumbledore looked pale when that came out. He's probably worried about what else you know. That man has a tarnished past. Keep your trunk warded. You know what to do. He may try to limit your contact with others."

"What can I do?" Harry was crushed.

"You can _win_ this damn tournament! I'm not giving up, so you better not either! Study the books I sent you. Study your Grandfather's curse-breaker book." Bill then handed a shrunken box to Harry. "Ragnok sent these as well. Open them in private. A few are not street legal, if you know what I mean. Auror handbooks and what not. He is even sending two books on tactics from Grindelwald's war. One was written by your grandfather, Charlus. Another is actually a copy of a Grindlewald book, translated to English."

That got Harry's attention. "If I skip potions, History of Magic, and Transfiguration… I can study the other books on my own."

Bill nodded. His 'apprentice' was getting his fire back. "Ok, good. Let's recap. We have a new development. First, we deal with getting Dumbledore out of your hair. I'll train you twice a week. You attend Charms, DADA, Runes, and Arithmancy. Then we focus back on the curse. Oh, and let's win this 'Quad-Tournament' thing too!" The last was added with a wry grin.

Bill could always make Harry Smile. "Thanks Bill."

"By the way, Ron and the twins are massively in the doghouse with mum and dad. The all got Howlers. Harry, my parents are proud and hated accepting scholarship money for us to attend Hogwarts. They've refused money from Charlie and me for years. Then, you shared the Basilisk money, and tied it to the events of the year in a way they could not refuse. You touched their lives and made it better. When Ron and the twins refused to stand up for you, it angered my father beyond anything I have ever seen. He's not as loud as mum, but… Let's just say they're running scared."

"I wish I could say it doesn't matter… but I'm glad your dad is holding them accountable. It really hurt when they signed that Declaration. Your dad is exactly what a dad should be."

"Harry, you know you can count on him the way you count on me. Right?"

"I know, but I don't want him to be conflicted."

Bill actually laughed slightly. "In a house with six brothers and a sister, trust me when I say conflict is the norm."

At that, Harry laughed too. He had been to the Weasley house enough to know how wild and noisy and chaotic it was. Someone was always fighting with someone else.

Harry checked the time, "I have a detention with Professor Flitwick in twenty minutes, but I think we are good. Thanks, Bill. For everything. For always being there for me. By the way, Madame Longbottom recommended these books..." He handed Bill the list.

Just then, The Beauxbaton champion approached them. Bill ended the 'Muffliato'. He was about to ask her if she needed anything, when Harry beat him to it.

"Have you come to share more of your insults?" Harry could hold a grudge. The 'Little Boy' comment had stung. He was one of the smallest in his year and her comment really cut.

She seemed stunned by his sharp comment, but she had been looking for him for days. To apologise. And now she saw him with a man who was nice looking. A man who seems somewhat resistant to her Allure as well. Was that a Corporeal Patronus on Harry's shoulder?

Fleur dove in, "I only wanted to apologise for my rude behaviour. I don't know what came over me. I was shocked at how badly you were treated by the other students and teachers and I wanted to ask if you could forgive my own terrible behaviour. I know Viktor feels the same way, even though he did not speak much."

Bill, stood up before Harry could respond, "Hi, I'm Bill Weasley. Harry is my apprentice at Gringotts."

Harry caught up, "Bill, this is Fleur… I didn't catch your last name. She is the Beauxbaton Champion."

Fleur smiled awkwardly, "Delacour. Fleur Delacour. It is nice to meet you, Bill." He took her hand and kissed it formally.

Harry saw where this was going. "OK. I have a detention with my Charms Professor." He stood up and nodded to Bill, then he turned and walked off. As he walked away, he called out, "Apology accepted." He never really turned around. Fleur was beautiful. Bill deserved to have a little time with her. They seemed to be enamoured with each other. To her credit, she did apologise.

Bill called out. "I'll be in touch, Harry." Strange the way Harry walked off. What had Fleur said to him? Watching Harry walk, he noted how vigilant he was. Always scanning for attackers. Nothing happened, though. Thank goodness.

"I'm sorry. I should not have interrupted. I just had been looking for days. Apparently, he disappeared all day on Sunday. Then he moves around like a ghost... Never eating with his class. Pausing and thinking, "Was he dressed in a Gringotts uniform?"

For the next few hours, Bill told her the story from Harry's point of view. From the drawing of his name to the attack in Gryffindor tower and his expulsion from Gryffindor."

Fleur filled in the way McGonagall and Snape treated him. The insults made at his father's expense. Her own shameful comments. They talked for hours. When it was clearly time to go, Bill walked her to the Beauxbaton Carriage. Well, something good may come of this nightmare, he thought guiltily as he walked back to the gates to Apparate away. She was amazing.

Fleur learned a lot about Harry Potter from Bill. He was very different than she had imagined. And Bill was so amazing. She learned as much about who he was in the way he talked about Harry. A perfect gentleman. Kind and protective, like her father. She wanted to see him again. Soon.

— **DoD—**

Harry had made his way inside the castle to meet with Professor Flitwick. Using his cloak, no one would see him. Once he got to the room, he noticed a soft white light coming from under the door. He removed the cloak and opened the door.

Opening the door, he saw Professor Flitwick talking to Professor McGonagall. On the desk in the corner was a Corporeal Patronus of a cat. 'Well, it was good while it lasted', Harry thought as they both turned to him.

"I can come back, Professor Flitwick." Harry said as he turned to leave.

"No, no Harry. Please stay. Minerva has offered to share some of her skills with you as well." Harry noted that she looked pensive and hopeful.

"No thank you, Professor. Maybe another time." And he turned to walk out. He wouldn't be back. He'd stay in the Chamber until the first task. Then he remembered what Bill said. Don't give them a reason to restrict you. He stopped.

"Harry? Please come in." Professor Flitwick was trying so hard.

"For you, sir." And he walked back in.

The training was different with McGonagall there. More formal. But just as effective. Harry had no clue what she wanted and he didn't care. By the time it was over, he could reliably cast a volleying shield with or without a wand. The next few days would be stances and balance control. Professor Flitwick had said, "The best shield is to be somewhere else when the spell lands."

Harry thanked Professor Flitwick and promised to continue practicing. Professor Flitwick then left the room citing a Prefect meeting.

As Harry was packing up, Professor McGonagall spoke to him, "Mr. Potter, we need to see about your accommodations." She was not her usual tight ass self. She seemed odd. Nervous.

"I have accommodations. I don't need any other space." Without looking up at her, he stood up and calmly walked out.

By the time she came out of the room to catch up to him, he was under the cloak and she was left alone. Alone with her thoughts. Her guilt, and her failure. She thought about her close friendship with Dorea, her love of James and his insane antics. How she loved Lily as a daughter. She had let them all down.

— **DoD—**

**The Chamber of Secrets**

**While Harry was Talking to Bill**

Albus Dumbledore was no fool. There was only one place Harry could go and disappear completely, and it was **not** a broom closet. He checked the seal on the only entrance he knew of and it had been broken. From the inside. He had a Phoenix, so the lack of Parseltongue was no great issue. He had politely asked Fawkes to bring him to Harry's home, so he could ensure it was safe. Fawkes had refused him. Albus finally promised to not interfere with the boys living conditions. With that promise, Fawkes agreed. Albus frequently wondered if Fawkes was the familiar or if he was. It was a dead serious question to him. He knew Fawkes did not approve of how he had treated Harry. He also had to admit that Fawkes had been more right than wrong. He should have asked for help sooner.

Albus was considering sharing the Horcrux info with William and seeing if he could assist in researching a way to remove it. William's discovery of the Patronus affecting the Horcrux was a huge discovery. While it did not cancel it out, it definitely made it more manageable. Closer to how it was in Harry's first year. Fawkes 'flashed' them to the middle of the Chamber.

Albus looked over Harry's new accommodation with awe. He had expected to find the chamber as he had last seen it. This was different. It looked like a Christmas tree had vomited all over the place. Magical strands of lights strung around the snake heads. Decorations hung all over the place and from the ceiling high above. Large glowing candles arranged in the corners. There was even a life size Santa Claus on top of the statue of Salazar Slytherin. Complete with eight life size Reindeer. All were lit up magically and powered by various Runic combinations. They were impressively done. Harry really was a bit of a prodigy. Beyond that, the chamber was clean. Too clean. Dobby must have helped him.

The mouth of the statue was closed and he did not know the correct phrase, but it still had a few inches he could peer through. He sent a glowing ball of light into the room, the retrieved it. Holding it to his right eye, he saw two beds. One had Harry's name on it, the other was much smaller and had Dobby's. There were Quidditch posters everywhere. An armoire, various miss matched furniture pieces, a chess board, playing cards, and butter beer bottles strewn around. No doubt Dobby would attend to those. On a bedside table was a book titled "Goblin Etiquette". That explained a lot of his behaviour. He was satisfied now. Harry was still Harry. The Horcrux had _not_ taken over. His parting comments were so frightening… But they were just normal teenage outbursts.

As he looked over the room with a more critical eye, he noticed the placement of lights. It seemed less haphazard now. He put something that would glow in every dark corner. He slept in the Basilisk Chamber with a single door that only he could open. Albus came to a sad conclusion.

Harry was scared.

He was sleeping in a space that frightened him, because the rest of the castle scared him even more. Albus remembered the numerous injuries Harry suffered in his second year. Now his own house had turned on him. Did Tom ever have similar feelings? A muggle-raised Half-blood in Slytherin house? No. Tom was completely and irredeemably damaged the day he arrived. Harry, on the other hand, was in the process of _being_ damaged.

He'd see about having Minerva find a better place for him to sleep. Maybe she could attend his detentions with Fillius. Albus had asked the kind man to teach defensive magic to Harry. Perhaps Minerva could sit in one of those sessions and find him a nicer place to sleep. The meeting had been devastating for her. The poor woman was torn with grief and guilt. Maybe it wasn't too late.

The meeting was bad. Albus should have spoken to Harry privately first. Instead, he dropped him into a high tension meeting and at the first sign of adversity, declared that he was the lad's magical guardian and had complete control of his life. The action with the Kukri knife scared him. So unlike Harry. So like a… Goblin!

So, the lad was not consumed by the Horcrux. Perhaps they could work something out for continued curse-breaker training. Albus knew he had gone too far. He wasn't sure what he could do to come back now. Sending him to another school with the Horcrux active was not possible, but… something. William was absolutely a moderating force and needed to stay in contact. Unfortunately, he lacked his parent's faith in the greater good and he was hard to predict.

Angry over the whole situation, he just could not believe how fast things had gone bad. How could the Horcrux have gotten so strong in just one week? It was so faint at the beginning of the year, he almost couldn't feel it. Now he could feel it everywhere in the castle. There was no escaping it. Unless you could cast a Patronus. He'd tell the teachers. Tell them that Harry was… depressed. No. Cursed by Voldemort? No, that might raise suspicions. Too close to the truth. He'd borrow from William and tell them Harry had picked up a curse in Egypt and the Patronus helps counteract it. Not the best story, but workable.

As Fawkes swooped over to take him away, he had one last thought, "Who put his name in the Goblet of Fire?"

— **DoD—**

**The Next Three Weeks at Hogwarts**

The next three weeks progressed adequately. Harry skipped Potions, History of Magic, and Transfiguration. He went to Charms, DADA, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy. Bill came by twice a week for Curse Breaking and Combat Practice. This let Harry apply some of the tactics he had read about. Bill also helped with any independent study questions. Harry liked DADA, but soured on Professor Moody when he referred to Professor Flitwick as 'Half-Pint'. Harry dropped Herbology after getting hexed one too many times by angry Hufflepuffs. Susan refused to speak to him and that really hurt, but not as much as Ron.

McGonagall had sent word through Hermione that he was welcome to join them in class. This occurred multiple times. Harry always refused, he was done with her. He made time for independent study from the sixth year Transfiguration book, but even that was not really a challenge. He considered transfiguring Kukri knives and wearing them to make a point, but he followed Bill's advice instead. He settled for wearing the empty scabbard. It made a point and kept Dumbledore off his back. Harry met up with Hermione and Neville frequently. Ginny and Colin often joined them, as well. These were his friends.

Harry noticed a week after the tournament drawing that people had begun wearing badges that said 'Support Cedric Diggory – The Real Hogwarts Champion!' But it was touch activated to say, 'Potter Stinks'. The teachers seemed oblivious. Harry remembered what Professor Flitwick had said, to a Goblin, this was nothing. Still, it made him mad.

He tried again to approach Susan, but she had rebuffed him. She called him a 'pathetic little glory hound'. He had liked Susan and they had written all summer. Harry knew the scar was causing it, but he also knew it had to have something to work with. Otherwise, it would work internally, like with Neville and Colin. It didn't seem to do that with Hermione and Ginny for some reason. On some level, Susan did not like him. When she wore the badge, it hurt far more than he wanted to admit.

Over the two weeks since his name came out of the cup, Harry had gotten especially good at volleying spells. Professor Flitwick had also taught him to anticipate and dodge. The 'detention' just kept going. Harry's 'owl vision' and senses helped enormously. He was becoming an amazing duellist. Frequently their 'detentions' were just him dodging and deflecting hexes for an hour. He thought it was like 'dodgeball', only with stinging hexes. It paid off when he was frequently targeted. But it was not perfect. One bad volley from a Malfoy curse had landed Hermione in the infirmary with elongated teeth. Snape had said he could see no difference… what an ass. Harry and Ron were given detention, but Harry elected not to go, telling Snape to 'take it up with Director Ragnok', and walking away. He heard Snape yelling, but he no longer held power over Harry. He thought Snape was just mad that Harry didn't take his class anymore and could walk away from him. But Draco was another story. One day, Draco would get his. One day. One day soon…

Not all the hexes and jinx's cast at him were deflected. Some, he did not see coming. Some were ambushes and flank attacks. Others were just cowards who attacked from behind or when he was seated in class. He made daily stops at the infirmary for a salve of this or a mending of some cutting curse or blistering hex. Usually it was on his back, so he couldn't see it well enough to just cast an 'Episkey' on it.

Harry was beginning to sense the magic before it hit, but too late to do anything about it. Ironically, it was mostly Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors that hexed him in the back or where he could not see them. The Puffs struck from behind, the Gryphs set up elaborate ambushes. He foiled most of them, but not all. The books from Bill and Ragnok and Madame Longbottom expanded his understanding of combat and strategy. He identified most of the ambushes before they occurred. The few that succeeded become exercises in 'how did I miss this?' The books were not easy to read, frequently he would read the same chapter three or more times before he understood it. Still, they were extremely informative. Especially given his real life application opportunities. His grandfather was a true combat mage and Grindlewald really was a genius. There was even a wonderful book by a Longbottom.

Harry had two to three visits from Bill each week. Bill pushed him hard and Harry reached a point where he could go toe to toe with Bill. Then Bill and Professor Flitwick came up with ways to make it harder. Harry also felt like he could take the curse-breaker Journeyman exam by the end of the year. Easily. He just needed the required fieldwork. One more summer would do it.

Privately, Bill had confessed to Fillius that Harry was unbelievable in a duel. To beat him consistently, Bill had to fight dirty and give Harry handicaps. He used rules like, 'no owl-perception', 'all casting non-verbal', 'half the curses and shields had to be wandless', 'one foot always on the ground', 'always staying inside a 3 foot circle', etc. Professor Flitwick frequently joined in. Harry was learning at a frightening pace. If that cursed scar ever stopped leaching his power... frightening.

They made plans to meet at the Three Broomsticks during the next Hogsmeade weekend, on November 21st. From there, they would visit Gringotts. Harry was not supposed to share this information outside of people he trusted. Technically, it was a sanctioned visit, but why push your luck? Bill said he had big news. Harry also noticed Bill spent a lot of time with Fleur. She also seemed nicer to him, especially when Bill had his Patronus up. Which was always. He came to realise that she had minimal control of her allure and she put on the 'bitch face' to protect herself. Over the next two weeks, she relaxed around Harry and Bill as neither were overwhelmed by her allure. Harry was even more resistant then Bill. When Harry once confessed to her about being hurt by Susan, she seemed a bit confused. But, she recovered and gave him good advice. "Forget zat Beech!'

The other champions were a mixed bag. Viktor was quietly respectful. He was more introverted than Harry. Cedric was annoying and condescending, But to Harry's knowledge, he never hexed him. Last year, Cedric had been a decent guy, but the scar had him hook, line, and sinker.

On November 13th, the champions wands were inspected in a stupid ceremony called the 'Weighing of the Wands'. Ironically, there was no scale involved. Harry noted that Dumbledore always seemed to have his Phoenix Patronus on his shoulder. It helped with the scar, but he still did not like the man. Fleur's wand was beautiful like a work of art. It had a hair from her grandmother, a full blooded Veela, as the core. Viktor's wand was interesting looking. Harry made a point to ask about it. It was so different from what he was used to seeing. So 'organic' and 'pure'. Harry thought it was as gorgeous in its own way as Fleur's.

Viktor seemed flattered and told Harry all about its wandmaker. Apparently, the wandmaker was called Mykew Gregorovitch who was on par with Ollivander. Very different style, more natural. Harry noted that Mr. Ollivander gave it a good looking over, that said something about it being different than his... He seemed to have a competitive rivalry with the man, but there was real respect there as well.

Mr. Ollivander recognised Cedric's wand immediately. He described the unicorn the core came from and seemed to know the wand like you might know another person. Personally. However, it was Harry's own wand that interested Ollivander the most. He muttered something about it being his crowning achievement. Something about Holly and Phoenix feathers almost never aligning.

After the weighing of the wands, Rita Skeeter had tried to interview him, but Dumbledore stepped in. Harry couldn't remember if he had made threats about exposing the schools injustice to the press in the meeting he had three weeks ago. He meant to, but he thought he skipped it. Either way, Dumbledore was keeping him far from the press. That's alright. Harry was following Bill's lead now. Don't make waves. Avoid Snape and McGonagall. Make no conflict. Defence only.

One odd thing stood out. Fleur seemed to be watching over him. Deflecting Cedric's snide comments and even charming the badges around them to stop working. Was she doing it for him, or for Bill? Maybe she had an ulterior motive. Maybe she just felt guilty about how she had acted on Halloween. Either way, it was nice to have someone backing him up.

He had traded correspondence with Sirius, but nothing huge came of it. Sirius just said to hang tight and try to prepare for the first task. He also said to watch out for Karkaroff. Moody was right, he was a Deatheater. Once a Deatheater, always a Deatheater. Sirius also promised something in the future that would help, but wouldn't say what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Surprises, Attacks, and a Lovegood
> 
> The presence of a Corporeal Patronus made life slightly better for Harry, but only a very few people could cast it. Dumbledore, Flitwick, Bill, and McGonagall primarily. Snape can but doesn't. Moody doesn't for reasons we all know...
> 
> Reminder: The Horcrux is now able to shut off Harry's access to his mother's incarnation when he dreams. It is feeding off his pain and getting extra 'juice' from the Diadem. With the diadem being in the Room of Requirement, it affects all the rooms of the castle while the Room of Requirement is inert.
> 
> Bill meets Fleur a bit early. They are a great couple.  
> The Weighing of the Wands has occurred.
> 
> Harry and Bill now know Dumbledore is Harry's Magical Guardian.
> 
> till next time


	14. Chapter 14

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fourth year will be split between having 'summary' chapters and new chapters focusing more on where divergence from Canon occurs. I do not want to re-tell what most readers already know, but I will spotlight where divergence occurs. The more time goes by, the greater the divergence. Year five will be a full split.**

**Special thanks to 'Just William', the Beta Reader for this story, for the excellent feedback and corrections.**

**\- Dance of Death 14 -**

**Surprises, a Lovegood and an Ambush**

**Gringotts**

**November 23**

Harrys last few weeks had been tiring. Even worse than the constant hexing, dirty looks, and general hostility was the lack of comfort he was used to from his sleep. His 'Dream-time' training and comfort from his mother had abruptly ended. It all came to a halt right before the cup spit out his name. After his scar came 'back to life'. God, he needed it now, more than ever.

Before the Hogsmeade weekend, Snape had tried to give him detention to keep Harry in the castle. It was a purely malicious move designed to deprive him of something fun. Harry nodded along, but had no intention of actually complying. He was following Bill's rules now. Harry liked the sound of that. ' _Bill's Rules'!_ The trip To Gringotts had started from the Three Broomsticks where Bill had them 'flooed' in directly to a receiving room at Gringotts. Bill cast his Patronus, and they walked out of the room.

Harry was amazed at how there were images of lightning bolts all around. They were stylised versions of his scar! Adorning the main wall, behind a reinforced glass display, were Harry's letters to Director Ragnok. Oh, Boy. The back wall had some kind of video projection, repeating the same loop over and over. The image was of Harry slamming his Kukri knife into the table. Somehow this must have been collected from Ragnok's memory. The Goblins were unbelievably helpful and Harry made sure to use proper etiquette to the best of his recollection. He felt… respected.

Harry and Bill were led back to a private conference room with Director Ragnok and… Sirius Black. Harry ran over and hugged his godfather. He had put on weight and looked much better than when Harry had last seen him.

"I can't believe you came here! I mean, I'm glad, but is it safe?" Harry really didn't want Sirius to risk himself.

Sirius just laughed. "Quite safe, pup! You are a celebrity around here. I've been corresponding with the Gringotts Black Family account manager for some time. It has been… enlightening. I've also contacted the family lawyers, they're still on retainer and are gathering info and legal leverage."

Harry waited, but Sirius just grinned. "Ok, I'll bite. What did you learn?"

Sirius rubbed his jaw comically and began, "Where to begin… Well, for starters Draco and Narcissa Malfoy have been getting a monthly stipend. A very nice one, too! Apparently, it was built into the marriage contract. However, when Lucius took the mark, he essentially went against the House of Black. That action made the marriage contract null and void. With harsh penalties. You see, Arcturus refused to back Voldemort and advised his family to stay out of the conflict. However, I was the heir and I opposed Voldemort…" At this Sirius laughed again. "So, I am looking at nearly twenty years of reparations. The reparations include penalties for violating the contract, return of the paid stipend, and the Dowry paid to the Malfoy family upon Narcissa's betrothal. With interest. I suspect the Malfoys have been making agreements in the name of Black as well. The lawyers are finding all kinds of contract violations. Some minor. Some not-so-minor. Like failing to aid the Black heir who was stuck in Azkaban. In fact, documentation exists showing Lucius pushing for me to be kissed."

Harry was shocked. Draco had been getting a stipend from his godfather's accounts! The Malfoy were obligated to help Sirius, but tried to have him killed! "But how could they have made arrangements in the name of the Black Family?"

Sirius was still smiling. "Draco is one of the prime candidates to be the next Black Heir. No doubt, had I not escaped, I would have suffered some accident or another before the boy turned seventeen. Making him, potentially, the next Lord Black. Unless a different heir was named. And an heir can't name an heir. So, with Arcturus passing away, that meant only I could become the next Lord Black."

Harry was struggling to follow.

Sirius put his hand on Harry's shoulder, "Keep in mind, you can't assume a Lordship while stuck in Azkaban. Lucius worked to keep me there. This means, with my death, there would be no named heir. In steps Draco as the closest in line with Narcissa's blood in his veins." Sirius threw his head back and laughed hard at that. "This goes a long way to explain why Fudge is so hell bent to deny any claims of my innocence. It explains his willingness to order a 'Kiss on Sight' to an Ancient and Most Noble Lord. All without a trial. My guess is that he is banking on a pay-out from the Malfoy's! Probably a lot of others are as well."

Harry ran his fingers through his hair. "My god, it all makes sense."

"Oh, Harry, it gets better. The same contracts and penalties apply to the Lestrange family and numerous others. Nott, Bulstrode, Goyle… they all owe the Black family money. They all broke contracts when they defied the official Black Heir. Yours truly. Some owe more than others, but when it all hits, it will be a real shit storm. You see, these contracts are governed by magic, not the ministry. Arcturus himself wrote these up and he was a genius. So, once violation is noted, these families either pay up, or they slowly lose their magic."

"Wait, why didn't Dumbledore do something?" Harry didn't trust Dumbledore, but he knew the man was not a Deatheater or a sympathiser. His weakness is in a failure to make the hard choices when it came to crime and punishment.

"I can only hypothesise, but I suspect it involves **you** , Harry. The first magical family to put a claim on adopting you was the Malfoy's. They narrowly lost because Dumbledore had already hidden you away. With blood relations closer related to you. I can only guess Old Albus didn't want to tempt fate by calling legal attention to their breaking of contract. Remember, the Malfoys have the money, the politicians, the lawyers. Albus lacks all these things. In a legal war of attrition, the old man just does have the resources. If they pressed it, they have a good chance of getting their talons into YOU Harry. Want to wager how long you would live in the House of Malfoy?"

"Oh, God." Harry knew it would be awful.

Bill had been quiet up until this point, but he felt the need to add his two cents. "Harry, it's also possible Dumbledore just doesn't know or understand the many contracts between the Black family and their allies. Many are actually vassal families who apparently have gone rogue. Or are banking on Draco. In fact, Lucius has been quietly referring to Draco as the Black Heir for years. Lucius sits on the Hogwarts Board… Really, Albus has no clue how to navigate that battlefield."

Sirius nodded. "But, if it does involve keeping you away from the Malfoy family, there is a fly in the ointment! You see, The Malfoy's don't have the best claim! The best claim, other than my own, lies with the Tonks family." There was a curious silence at that.

"So, who are the Tonks, and why haven't I heard from them?"

"Well, Andromeda Tonks is a Black who is Narcissa and Bellatrix's older sister. She was the one with the most business acumen and had the most political savvy. Had she been a male, no doubt she would have been named the heir. She was actually supposed to marry one of the Lestrange brothers, but that went to hell when she got pregnant and left the family. Her husband, Ted Tonks, is a muggleborn and that got her thrown out of the family. Apparently, Ted Tonks was also your father's primary lawyer. A good one too. But the family was under dire threat in the last war and relied on Dumbledore to protect them. I'm told he made them take a magical vow NOT to claim or contact you. Before we leave here today, I want you to reach out to him and request legal aid. You can make Bill your Proxy."

Harry looked at Bill. He looked at Ragnok. "My god, Dumbledore really does want to own me. What good would writing to Ted Tonks do? If he already took a magical vow…"

Ragnok now spoke for the first time. "Ted Tonks has a wizarding contract to serve the Potter family. Likely, he cannot contact you, but once aid is requested, he will have the older contract override the later vow. Dumbledore knew this, so he added the 'no contact' stipulation. At least that seems most likely. He seems to want to own you for himself… That was apparent in the meeting we had three weeks ago."

Sirius nodded and added, "He wants you for something, Harry. I wager it's the prophecy he told your parents about. You see, you are the one destined to fight Voldemort. If you put stock in the whole prophecy garbage, it all comes down to you or him. No one else."

Somehow, Harry felt like he had heard this before. Maybe in Dreamtime? "So, why doesn't he train me? Why did he dump me off on the Dursleys and forget about me for ten years? He had to have other options, even if they weren't completely legal. It just makes no sense."

"Sirius just shrugged. "No idea, pup. Something is really fishy here."

"Sirius, do you know how to navigate the kinds of politics you've described?" Harry asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Hell, no. That's why I re-activated the Black Family Lawyers. Those old men are a vicious bunch. Spread across Europe and outside of any one government's control. Some of them worked for Grindlewald at one point." Then he smiled and said, "I also brought Andromeda Tonks and her daughter back into the family. She can help me. She knows her stuff."

Can these Lawyers get me out from under Dumbledore?"

"Maybe. Andromeda and I are coming up with a plan. First, we send the Black Lawyers after all those families that owe us money. There's the shit storm. The distraction. Next, we send a few after Dumbledore and Fudge himself. Asking why I never got a trial. Really digging in and making it personal. Looking for bribes and favours. Then Ted starts collecting evidence and leverage to get Dumbledore to transfer his guardianship of you over to the Tonks family."

"Why not just transfer me to you? Or to Bill? I don't even know this guy."

Sirius beamed at Harry wanting him in his life, but he had to set him straight, "Well, for starters, I'm a fugitive. Besides, I'd rather have full guardianship after we get my name cleared."

Bill then added, "And I have no blood relation. I'm also single and have a job with travel and danger. It would never get approved. But I would if I could, Harry."

Sirius reassured Harry, "Ted is a great guy. If I know him, and I do, He is just _waiting_ for you to send a letter, asking for his aid. Not helping you has got to be **killing** him. He was very close to your dad and grandfather. Dumbledore must have had his stones in a vice. I imagine he would relish a little payback."

"But is he trustworthy? Could Dumbledore control him again?"

Sirius thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I doubt Dumbledore could get his hooks in Ted again. He had a young daughter at the time and Bellatrix really wanted to kill the girl and 'purify' the family line. He and Andromeda were terrified and desperate. No doubt the old man used that to his advantage. Ted Tonks is contracted to be a Potter lawyer. Loyalty contracts apply and are plentiful. Personal loyalty is also a factor, as I mentioned before."

Harry nodded. Things were looking up. "What now? What can I do?"

"Well, since you asked, how would you like to be the heir of house Black?"

"What about you Sirius?"

"Well, pup, I'm glad you asked." He held up his right hand and showed a ring bearing the black crest. "I assumed the Lordship before you arrived."

"So I would be your heir. The new and official Heir of Black. I'd jump in front of Draco?" Harry laughed at that. That would be the best payback… "Sounds great, but what about the Potter family?"

"No worries, pup. You can be the heir of multiple families, but you have to divide it up amongst your own children. With all the wars over the last century, this is not all that uncommon. In theory you could even take multiple wives, but it's better to have just one wife and lots of kids. Handling one witch is enough… Two would be a nightmare." They all laughed at that.

Harry sensed something was required. "So, what do I need to do?"

Ragnok stepped forward with a ceremonial bowl of some sort and two silver blades. "First, you bleed into the Black family 'legacy bowl'. If magic accepts you, you are the new Heir of Black."

"And if it doesn't?"

Sirius spoke up before Ragnok could. "It will. I know it will! You have as much Black blood in your veins as you do Potter blood. Your father was half Black, through his mother, Dorea Potter née Black." Sirius then took one of the blades, sliced open his hand, and bled into the bowl. It began glowing very softly.

Bill spoke up, "If it rejects you, there will be pain. The cut you make for the test will scar and will never heal quite right." Looking Harry in the eye, "You don't have to do this, Harry." Harry could see that Bill was worried. Concerned. But he knew he had a duty to both Sirius and to his legacy.

Harry picked up the knife. Held it to his left hand and over the bowl. "Do I need to say anything?"

Sirius smiled. He was actually tearing up. "No, Harry. Just blood."

The blade cut so well, there was minimal pain, but there was a great deal of blood. He probably cut too deep. The bowl glowed and pulsed. Harry could feel the magic rolling off it. When it finally settled, the blood combined with Sirius' blood and was absorbed into the bowl. Then, a ring formed.

Sirius began clapping, "Yes! Welcome to the family, Harry!" He pulled Harry into a hug. Bill walked over and healed his hand. No scar. Harry picked up the ring. It had a small red ruby in the middle, right on the crest.

Sirius asked to look at the ring. He examined it closely. He seemed concerned. "This can't be."

Ragnok began softly chuckling.

Sirius looked, well, serious. Harry asked, "Sirius, what's wrong?"

Sirius reluctantly answered, "You are not just the heir, Harry. You are also named the Black Knight. Or more specifically, the Knight of Black. The Black Champion. The Black… Enforcer."

Bill was shocked, "What the hell are you pulling, Sirius? Harry is fourteen years old! You can't just drop this crap on him."

Ragnok mirthfully chimed in, "Oh, but he can. He was accepted by the Black legacy bowl. Apparently, the last knight has been stripped of her title! The next Lord Potter is also the Heir Black and the Knight of Black. What is the correct title? Perhaps, Heir and Knight of Black? HAHAHAHA! Mr. Potter, I feel fortunate to live during your life time. You are simply the most interesting wizard I have ever met or heard of. Hahahahahah!"

No one else was laughing.

Harry asked, "What does this mean, Sirius?"

Sirius was just mumbling, "I need to have Andromeda research this. The last Knight of Black…well. I need to research this."

Harry was getting nervous now. "Sirius, who was the last Black Knight? I need to know."

Bill answered when it was obvious Sirius was stuck in a daze. "Bellatrix Black was the last Black Knight. Apparently, the family magic did not approve of her… behaviour."

Sirius snapped out of his stupor and told Harry he would research the title. They talked for a bit. Documents were signed. Harry repeated the same ritual with the Potter legacy bowl, it was less ornate and rather simple in design, but there was power there. The ring that formed was the Potter heir ring. No knight insignia or anything like that thank goodness. Apparently he had to be seventeen to claim the title of Lord Potter and twenty one to inherit the properties and main vault content.

The rings would offer some protection against malicious potions and serve as a warning against poisons. They would also reinforce Harry's already developed Occlumency. Wearing two may or may not 'stack' protection, but it guaranteed that Harry would have some extra protection. Sirius admitted to having no idea what the 'Knight' insignia would impart, but something was there. Sirius and Bill both stressed that he needed to continue his nightly occlumency exercises. Also, no Slytherin from a Vassal family could attack Harry without their own magic punishing them.

Harry wrote the letter to Ted Tonks and named Bill as his Legal Proxy in the letter. He also signed it as the Heir Black and Heir Potter. He left off the Black Knight title. Sirius warned Harry that the New Year would be when the storm would hit. He called it a Yule time present for old Dumbledore! He advised Harry to just keep his head down. Ted, Andromeda, Bill and Sirius would be working behind the scenes. Change was coming. Harry vaguely remembered something about a dance.

Harry noticed that Director Ragnok was thoroughly enjoying himself. Apparently, the activities today would create enormous waves across magical Britain. Harry knew Goblins loved conflict and change. Harry was the Goblin Nation's new 'poster boy' for both of those elements.

As they parted, Sirius just said, "Stay safe, Pup. Stay safe."

— **DoD—**

Bill took him back to Hogsmeade. The sun was beginning to set and Harry was able to catch the last carriage back to the castle. Bill said his good-byes and went back to Hogsmeade.

Harry had so much on his mind. Another person was also in the carriage. She was petite and had long dirty blonde hair. She was wearing the most outlandish glasses Harry had ever seen. She had Radish earrings and a necklace made from butterbeer caps. She was just staring at him with a dreamy expression on her face.

Awkwardly, Harry introduced himself, "Hello. My name is Harry. Harry Potter."

"I know. Everyone knows who you are." She just kept staring at him. "They love you, you know."

"Um… Who loves me? Most people this year seem to hate me. A lot." She was making Harry a little uncomfortable with the staring.

"The Thestrals. They are honoured that you are in their carriage. They probably see you as the next Master of Death. If you survive, of course."

"Oh, well… tell them I said 'thank you'." Harry wondered how much longer this conversation would continue.

"They can hear you. But I doubt the speak English. Congratulations on the new titles. I'm sure you will do them proud."

"Thank you. What did you say your name was?"

"Oh, I didn't. I must have forgotten. My name is Luna. Luna Lovegood."

"It's nice to meet you, Luna." Pausing a moment, he asked, "How did you hear about my titles?"

"They're on your fingers. Your aura also is a bit different. More vengeful, but that may just be you." She looked around slowly. "Have you seen the Dragons yet?"

"Dragons? What Dragons?" Harry was going from being uncomfortable around the young girl to being somewhat fascinated. She was so different.

"There are four. They're keeping them near the forest, south and east of the castle. There are four of them, so I suspect it's for the tournament. The Welsh Green seems nice, but the Hungarian Horntail is quite angry. I suspect it's just her nature."

"How do you know it is a 'she'?"

"They all are female. The female dragons are larger and more aggressive. Especially _these_ females, they have eggs." Looking at Harry and cocking her head, "You should go see them. Just walk along the perimeter of the forest until the castle is out of sight."

"Thanks Luna. I'll check it out." Honestly, Harry was not sure he believed her. Still, it merited looking into.

When the carriage stopped, Harry called Dobby and asked him to retrieve his broom. Harry flew extremely high and followed the forest's edge. It was very dark, but his owl vision could see fine. The darkness would give him cover. Luna was right, there were four Dragons. Damn. That had to be the first task. He returned to the castle and started to go in, but had a twinge of guilt. Fleur and Victor had been nice to him…

He went to the owlery and had Hedwig take them each a brief note stating that he believed the first task involved dragons. There, the field was levelled. He'd let Cedric know too, but not via owl. Maybe the Hufflepuffs would hate him less if he delivered the warning in person. He re-entered the castle and stopped at the kitchens for dinner. After eating, he went to the Chamber and settled in. He told Dobby about his day, but swore him to secrecy. Pipsey came to look at the Heir Potter Ring. She oooohed and aaahhhhed. Harry decided to wear them face down to minimize the attention they would bring.

The next day, Harry made his way through the castle. During his short walk, he deflected seven or eight hexes. He saw Cedric out in a courtyard with a few of his friends. Well, no time like the present. Suddenly Hannah and Ernie were blocking his path. Both had changed their badges to say 'Potter Stinks'.

Ernie was a lot taller than him. He used that to try and intimidate Harry. "Where do you think you're going Potter? Looking to cause more trouble?"

Harry didn't have time for this. "Look guys, I just need to speak to Cedric. I don't want trouble."

Hannah had always been so nice before, but not today. "Sure, Potter. No trouble. But, how do we know? How can we be sure?" She was smirking maliciously. Damn, she was taller than him too! A little. Maybe she was just standing on a step.

Harry didn't have time. It looked like Cedric was collecting his things to leave. "Oh, forget it." He pushed through them, but it took a moment. Once through, Cedric had already gotten up and was walking away with his friends. Harry sped up a bit, then was hit in the back with a curse. Damn, he dropped his guard.

His scar flared up as well, interfering with his magical core. It had never been able to affect his core before! That was his internal defence! The curse that struck him took affect and Harry dropped. His whole body seemed to cramp up. But the worst was his chest. He had a pain in the centre of his chest and it persisted. He couldn't breathe. It was like an Elephant was sitting on him. His left arm went numb and his jaw suddenly ached. He just lay there twitching. His scar pulled back and released his core. Suddenly, he could breathe slightly better. In his crumpled up state, he could see Hannah. They locked eyes and she just smiled. She laughed. Ernie wasn't laughing, he looked confused. Nervous.

Harry passed out for a moment, but was awakened by stinging hexes. Apparently a few others decided to get in on the action. Harry had to just lay there and take it. A few people threw trash at him. At least one person emptied their drink on him, it was hot and scalded him. Coffee, maybe? He tried to get up, but he couldn't manage it. Seeing him try to rise up, someone hit him with a Jelly leg curse to keep him down. He tried to call Dobby, but couldn't form the words. He just focused on breathing and ignoring the pain of the stinging hexes that kept hitting him. Some hexes were worse.

Three younger girls approached him. They were in Slytherin colours. Harry braced for the hexes and curses they were about to land on him. The one in the middle was cute. She had brown hair and 'kind' eyes. She looked concerned. They all did. One put a Protego up and protected him from the steady stream of hexes. The other two helped him up. They helped him to the school hospital. He never would have made it on his own. Once there, Madame Pomfrey scanned him, then panicked. She levitated him to a bed and he passed out. The last thing he heard was Madame Pomfrey yelling for someone to get the headmaster.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Infirmary**

**The Next Morning**

**November 23**

Harry awoke. He felt tired and sore. The effects of the many hexes had been reversed, but he still felt weak. He struggled to sit up. He noticed for the first time that Arthur Weasley was there.

"Harry, please don't strain yourself. You need to rest if you are to make a full recovery." Harry noted that Mr. Weasley seemed very upset. And very tired. Had he been there all night?

"Mr. Weasley, did they call you? Is Bill here?"

"Yes Harry. You made me your contact in case of an emergency. Bill was here, but he had to report to Gringotts. He stayed the night and only left when you were safe."

"What happened? I remember being hexed in the back, then… pain. And more curses. Once I was down, it just didn't let up."

"Harry. The hex that struck your back was… really more of a curse. It was potentially lethal. Don't alarm yourself, you're fine now. Gringotts has been… well. Let's just say the Minister is involved and The DMLE has been called in."

"I'm flattered." This was a change. People actually gave a damn.

"Harry. You are now the recognised heir to both the Noble house of Potter and the Ancient and Most Noble house of Black. No one knew you were the Black Heir. That changes things. In a major way.

"How does it change anything? And how did the news get out? I would have expected Dumbledore to hide and cover it up."

"The young ladies who helped you, they were from influential but neutral families. They told their parents and word spread. Gringotts has confirmed the title and that it was accepted in magic. That makes this an assassination attempt on the Heir of two houses." Mr. Weasley paused for a moment and collected his thoughts. "Harry, you should expect a visit from Amelia Bones very soon. If it is too much for you…"

"NO! It is not too much for me. I want whoever fired that curse to be held accountable. I've had it with being cursed at every turn. I'm tired of everyone hating me. God, I hate this school!"

Harry noticed they had been joined by a middle aged red headed woman with a monocle, Minister Fudge and Dumbledore. The minister looked quite upset and nearly panicking. Dumbledore looked pensive and possibly nervous. The woman seemed intense and somewhat in control.

Dumbledore came forward, "Mr. Potter, I'm glad you are feeling better. Let me introduce Amelia Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Harry was no sure what to say, so he stuck to the basics, "Hello ma'am. Minister Fudge."

"Harry." The minister quietly responded.

He woman spoke next, "Hello, Mr. Potter. I understand you have had a rough month. If you are up to it, I'd like you to describe the events that led up to you being cursed." She was all business, but she seemed fair.

Harry described the event. He gave the approximate time and the location. He also gave as many names as he could. He did not see who cursed him as he was cursed in the back. He then described the many hexes that hit him while he was on the ground. Apparently, Madame Pomfrey had given the medical chart and it backed up his story. He also described the hot coffee thrown on him and the trash that was dumped on him while he was struggling to stay conscious.

Director Bones seemed shocked. Clearly, no one had told her how bad things were at Hogwarts. "My god, Albus. What kind of school are you running here?"

Minister Fudge looked over at Dumbledore. He looked ready to explode. Harry suspected news of the attack had gotten out and now Dumbledore was in the hot seat. Despite being hated at Hogwarts, Harry was still the 'boy who lived'. And now he is the heir to an Ancient and Most Noble Family. He was looking forward to Bill giving him an update.

Dumbledore finally spoke up, "I'm sure this is just a simple prank that got out of control. There is no need to escalate this, we can handle it inside Hogwarts. Professors McGonagall and Snape are already looking for the responsible parties."

Harry had heard enough. "So you send your personal Minion and the Deatheater to sweep this under the rug? No. You said I would be safe at Hogwarts and I have nearly been killed each and every year here. Professor, you need to step aside and let the professionals do their job."

Amelia Bones looked confused. "Mr. Potter, can you tell me more about how you have been 'nearly killed' each year?"

Harry smiled. Finally! "Well, in my first year, Professor Quirrell tried to steal the Philosopher's Stone, and I was nearly killed stopping him. In my second year, I had to fight a damn Basilisk and the faculty refused to help! Last year, I was nearly killed by Dementors, then my testimony regarding Sirius Black was ignored, now I have been forced into a tournament I never wanted to be in and people are trying to kill me."

Minister Fudge looked nervous now, "You were confounded by Sirius Black! He is a murder and in no way innocent!"

"You are repeating the words of Severus Snape, a Marked Deatheater! Sirius Black is innocent and you know it!"

Dumbledore interrupted, "Enough of this. We will deal with the unfortunate event within the school. Now I would kindly ask you all to leave Mr. Potter so he can rest."

Harry knew what was happening. "Hell, no! You just want to sweep this under the rug! Like all the problems here at Hogwarts." Harry looked over at the only person in the room he thought might actually do something, "Director Bones, please find the person who tried to kill me and bring them to justice! Talk with Susan, I think she was there."

Amelia Bones calmly responded, "Mr. Potter, I intend to do just that." Looking at the minister and Dumbledore, "This is now a crime scene. As head of the DMLE I am taking charge. We will have interviews with all the witnesses. No one is to try and influence Mr. Potter in any way until the investigation is complete."

To Harry's surprise, they both agreed. Finally, something would finally happen.

**-DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Visiting Office of Amelia Bones**

Amelia Bones was growing frustrated with her niece. Susan obviously knew something, but was being evasive. Could it really have been Hannah Abbott as Mr. Potter believed? Amelia knew the girl and she just didn't have it in her.

"Susan, you obviously know more than you are saying. There was a murder attempt on the heir of an Ancient and Most Noble house. You know how serious this is. Now, for the last time, tell me what happened!"

Susan now had tears running down her face. She looked ashamed. "Auntie, I'm so sorry… It was me." Amelia stared at her niece in shock. "I didn't know the spell was lethal! I swear. Hannah and I were just trying to prank him."

Amelia knew Susan had been writing the Potter heir all summer. Amelia had even considered discussing the need to avoid becoming romantically involved as they were both sole heirs. How had things gotten so bad, so quickly?

In a quiet, but slightly quavering voice, she asked her niece, "Susan, why did you curse him?"

Susan went on to describe how Harry tried to steal Cedric's glory as the Hogwarts champion. How Harry just seemed to make her angry whenever she was around him. How everyone was saying what a cheater and thief he was. How he had come to her trying to convince her he was innocent. How even Gryffindor knew he was a cheat. Finally, Susan admitted that she was hurt and angry he hadn't asked her to the Yule Ball. She admitted that she liked the boy and he seemed to just want to be friends. As these words came out at ninety miles per hour, Amelia Bones just stared at her niece in shocked disbelief.

Then, Amelia Bones did something she had never done before. She slapped her niece so hard it spun the girl around. When Susan looked back at her Aunt, it was not the look of anger she had expected to see on her Aunt's face. It was a look of cold fear and horror.

"You nearly murdered a fourteen year old boy because he hadn't worked up the courage to ask you to a stupid dance. Because he was too distracted and afraid that he was going to die in this damn tournament." Susan started to speak, but Amelia raised her hand and cut her off, "No, Susan. I know how to read people and I can say with one hundred percent certainty, Harry Potter did NOT put his name in that cup."

Amelia Bones sat back in silence. She then looked at her stunned niece. "The Potter heir came to the Bones heiress looking for aid and support. You insulted him and then cursed him. Did you even see what happened afterward? The others who cursed him? Did you join in and fire off a few yourself? Don't be shy now, answer me!"

Susan shook her head. "No. I'm not that mean! At first, we thought he was just playing it up… then we knew it was bad, so we... ran away. But we didn't know it was lethal! I swear!"

"Oh, Susan. This just gets worse by the minute." Amelia put her head in her hands. "The Bones heiress left the Potter heir lying in the dirt. Left him to be cursed and ridiculed. To have trash and hot coffee thrown at him. All while he was too weak to stand. The Bones and Potter families have been allies for nearly a _thousand years_. Now, you've thrown it away because you had a crush. I'm curious, though. What did you think the spell would do?"

"We thought it would give him menstrual cramps. Well, obviously not exactly, but something close. So we could... make fun... of him..." Susan heard her own words, and was shocked. This is the boy she had written all summer. The sweet natured boy who knew so little about their world. He was so naive and... innocent. What had she done? Why would she have done this?

Amelia just stared at her niece. "I... don't even have the words, Susan."

Susan suddenly realised the gravity of the situation. "This won't affect the Potter-Bones alliance, will it? Long term, things will be fine, right?" Her face was slowly becoming as horrified as her aunts.

"Susan, cast a Lumos for me."

Susan took out her wand, held it up and said, "Lumos!" A flickering light formed. After a few seconds it stabilised. But it was at the illumination level of a first year. And a weak one at that.

Amelia Bones then whispered, "Yes, Susan. I'd say our alliance with the Potters has been impacted. Now, for the love of Maeve, _take off that damn Badge_!"

Amelia knew it would only get worse. In addition to Susan's magic, there would be other consequences. Even her magic would start to degrade now that she knew what had happened. If this was a standard alliance, it would be easier to rectify. Unfortunately, this is a 'Tier One' alliance. Amelia did not even know the full terms of the alliance, It was so old... But Tier One was the kind of alliance where both sides benefitted tremendously. Whatever benefit it had given, would begin to unravel. It could break the Bones family. They could rightfully be called Oath-Breakers.

Now she had to work with Albus Dumbledore to save what was left of her family. She knew Dumbledore would now have her in his pocket. Something she had avoided for years. And that poor boy would get no justice. All he had been through... what would this do to him? Amelia had noticed how small he was. How vulnerable. She had to fight her urge to nurture and protect that boy while in the infirmary with him. When he shared his stories, she wanted to throttle Albus Dumbledore. The urge had been unnaturally strong. As the current Proxy and Acting Head of House for the Bones family, the Tier One alliance obligations fell on her. Was this part of the alliance?

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Infirmary**

**7PM, November 23**

Harry awoke alone that same evening. He fell asleep after lunch, and woke up six hours later. The potions he had taken put him in a deep sleep while they repaired any lingering damage. He felt fine now. Bill had sent word that he would be checking in mid-morning. Mr. Weasley had stayed most of the day yesterday. Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Colin had all been by.

Harry had asked Hermione to warn Cedric about the first task. He didn't want the boy to face a dragon unprepared. Everyone else already knew...

Thinking about his ambush in the courtyard, he had no idea what the spell that struck him had been, but it had been debilitating. Seeing as how the DMLE had been called in, he knew it was bad. His scar seemed to actually help the curse by keeping Harry's own magic from countering it. That was the first time it had been able to do that. Then it receded for some reason, allowing his internal magic to resist.

Harry took the time to read up on combat techniques. He knew he had let his guard down and this was his reward. He ignored basic battlefield tactics. Moody was always screaming about constant vigilance, maybe he had a point. Had he been alert, he _never_ would have put himself in a place where enemies could outflank him. What was he thinking?

While he was deep in a chapter about flanking manoeuvres, delving into his own mistakes, Amelia Bones and Dumbledore came in. Harry did not like seeing Dumbledore, but Madame Bones seemed willing to stand up for him. He was glad to see her.

Dumbledore started talking before Harry could say anything. "Hello Harry, you seem to be well recovered. Perhaps we all merely... overreacted." His eyes twinkled a bit.

Harry just ignored him and looked at Madame Bones. "Hello ma'am. Has there been any progress? I think I know what happened. Ernie and Hannah distracted me and set me up for the sniper. Unless it was Hannah herself. Basic Auror technique. If I had not been so distracted..."

The woman smiled politely. "We are still conducting our interviews. However, there is a slight complication. You see, our families have an alliance to consider. I am also the primary investigator and the head of the Department of Magical law Enforcement. This creates a slight conflict of interest."

Harry had no idea what she was saying. "I don't understand, ma'am… are you saying you can't help me because our families are allies?" That sounded odd.

"It would present complications in the prosecution. We can correct that with a brief 'pause' on the alliance. Essentially, ending it during the investigation. Afterward, we can see about reinstating it." Seeing the confusion on Harry's face, Amelia Bones clarified. "It is all very standard in these kinds of circumstances."

She produced a contract. It was mostly in Latin and old English. Moreover, it was in legalese. Harry had learned a bit in his curse-breaker training. It seemed to be exactly what she had said, but it was a bit confusing.

Harry started to sign, but Madame Bones instructed to use a different quill. "This is a Blood Quill, Harry. It is necessary in some magical contracts. Once signed, the blood loses its potency, so no need to worry about blood curses."

Harry remembered something his Uncle Vernon had once said about contracts. "Can I make a copy, ma'am?" Without waiting for Amelia to answer, he pulled out a few blank sheets of paper and used the copy charm to imprint a duplicate of the contract on the blank paper. He went so far as to make two copies. Harry couldn't help but notice how this seemed to bother Dumbledore. Good. Once complete, he signed the original. He noted that it burned the back of his and as he signed. His own name formed on his hand as if scraped there.

Madame Bones looked very relieved, suddenly. Dumbledore touched his wand to Harry's hand and healed it instantly. Harry was annoyed he'd do that without his permission, but it did feel better. Something, however felt odd. He felt an odd surge and was suddenly dizzy. Madame Bones had to steady him.

She squeezed his shoulder lightly to reassure him. "Well, that's done. Now I'll continue the investigation. Thank you, Mr. Potter. Hopefully, we can wrap this up within the week." Dumbledore then walked Madame Bones from the infirmary.

Harry smiled, then grew concerned. What did she mean by 'wrap this up'? Why was she so relieved? More, she looked relieved and… something. She seemed to not want to make eye contact. Maybe it was just his imagination, but… Something wasn't right. He'd get Bill to look over the contract. He'd send the other copy to Sirius.

Bill came in soon after with his Owl Patronus on his shoulder. Harry then described the whole scene. He noticed that Bill looked first confused, then concerned.

Bill was very alert. He cast a 'Muffliato' while Harry was talking.

Bill took one of the copies of the contract. "Harry, this is beyond odd. If anything, the alliance would have made her pursue the matter more intently. It looks like the alliance was just… ended. No penalties or reparations…" Bill suddenly straightened, "Merlin! It's a Tier One alliance. This dates back to before 1066. You don't just end an alliance this old. Especially a Tier One alliance. Amelia Bones, Susan Bones... And look here, Albus signed it too. Your Magical guardian." Bill was looking at the contract the same way he looks at wards and curses he is trying to break.

Now Harry was concerned. "Bill, when I signed it, I felt dizzy. Is that normal?" Had he been tricked?

"Well, yes. Maybe." Bill was quiet for a minute. Then he cut his eyes and asked, "Did Amelia Bones look Dizzy?"

"No. She actually kept me from falling over." Harry was beginning to feel manipulated. Dumbledore wanted this too. Why else would he have signed it? Harry was mad at himself for missing this.

Bill thought about it for a minute. "OK. Now, this is important. Did you feel like you were suddenly weaker, like you had lost something? Or like something came back to you? A sudden influx?"

"I felt a sudden surge. Like when your foot is asleep and you straighten it out and it gets blood flow. But, different. Definitely not weaker."

Bill nodded. "Good. The Potters were of less stature than the Bones family. Even today, the Potters are Noble, and the Bones are Ancient and Noble. Likely, they gave the Potters something political or martial. Protection most likely. I am guessing the Potters gave something magical in return. I may be wrong, but I'd say you felt a sense of your families sacrifice returning. I'm not sure why Amelia was unaffected, but it may have been something tied to their family, but not OF the family, if you know what I mean."

Harry thought about it for a minute then said, "I don't have a clue what you mean, Bill." To which Bill just laughed. His laughter showed that he was becoming relieved.

"You know how you can feel when one of your wards is broken?" Harry nodded, "Well, imagine if it was a thousand years old and tied to your family magic. Not broken, though. Merely 'released' back to your family. I have no idea what it was or could have been. This is old magic. Let's let Ted and the Goblins figure it out. Be relieved that the contract did not hurt you in any way. Only the House of Bones seems to have suffered. Unless you count the fact that they are no longer obliged to give protection to you. But we'll still let Ted review it and confirm. I can read contracts, being a curse breaker, but I am NOT a lawyer."

Harry was confused, "So, why would they give up anything voluntarily? Why break the alliance at all?"

"The alliance would have forced her to pursue and prosecute. Maybe she is protecting the student that cast the curse at you… Now that you have assumed the Potter and Black titles as the heir, the guilty party would be looking at a stay in Azkaban. Who is your prime suspect, Harry?"

"Well, Draco Malfoy for starters. Then Hannah Abbott. She looked right at me and smiled." He still couldn't believe she had been so cruel.

"Not Malfoy. Until Sirius ends the contracts, Draco cannot cast a lethal spell at you without his magic being affected. Probably a third of the Slytherins are in the same boat. Hannah, though is an Abbott. I think they are loosely aligned with Bones, but not Tier One. Who is she connected with? Here at school?"

Suddenly Harry had an epiphany. "Her best friend is Susan Bones. They're practically inseparable. They have been best friends their entire life."

"And Amelia would never have sent a fourteen year old girl to Azkaban. But the alliance might have forced her to. Still, seems like something is missing. Well, let's send out the notes and get the Goblins to research the alliance."

"Rest up, Harry. Tomorrow you need to prepare for the first task. The first task is the day after tomorrow! They delayed it a day due to your attack."

"Thanks, Bill. Can you get the extra copy of that contract to Sirius? I'd love his take. Honestly, I think Dumbledore will try to get it and I'd rather that not happen."

Bill just smiled. You have much to learn, Harry. He then proceeded to make two more copies. He handed Harry's first copies back. "If he wants them, just given to him. Better yet, leave them beside the bed and see if they're there when you get back."

Harry then remembered how much had been leaked out. "Can you tell me what's been happening these last two days?"

Bill just smirked and shook his head. "Let's start with the fallout from your attack. Pure pandemonium. Sirius went ballistic. He wanted to be here, but his cousin Andromeda convinced him not to. Gringotts shut its doors until the attackers are identified and disciplined. Now we know that won't happen... Things will get ugly. Sirius also intends to teach you some of the Black Family magic. Not sure how I feel about that, but you are the Knight. It's pretty lethal stuff, Harry."

Now, the special project, "Fudge is furious with Dumbledore. He is laying the blame squarely on the headmaster and there have been calls for his resignation. Keeping him distracted. Ted has used this to start his inquiries. The news of you being the Heir of Black has increased the manhunt for Sirius and the old Black alliances are terrified. Lucius is having to work hard to keep his alliances from revolting. The Shit Storm will be starting on January 1. The Black Lawyers have been very busy. Some leads went nowhere, other bore unexpected fruit. Ted is eager to meet, but is staying quiet so as not to alert anyone. January 1, Harry. Then, Ted and the Black Lawyers go all out. Sit tight.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Visiting Office of Amelia Bones**

**4AM**

Amelia had wrapped up her report. The student who made the attempt on Harry's life was and will remain unknown. Susan had picked her spot well and there were no witnesses to her spell. The students who hexed Harry while he was on the ground will be disciplined by the school. Just as Albus wanted it. The old meddler told her what he wanted her to say, and she had no choice.

Most of the cowards that hexed the boy were Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. Amelia still could barely believe that. There were a few Slytherins, but no Ravenclaws. They had made a game out of Hexing the boy. Just for fun. Over and over. The more he twitched, the better they 'scored'. Disgraceful.

The two Slytherins were now aware that Harry was the Black heir and they were terrified of what would happen. Their families are Black Family Vassals. They apparently thought Draco Malfoy was the heir. Lucius was reported to be furious. Serves that horrible man right.

But there was no joy in this. Instead, Amelia felt a deep and intense shame. The Bones family had failed the Potter family, and they took the cowards way out. Susan and Hannah were terrified, as they should be. Susan's magic was recovering, but she now had to live with the shame of being an oath breaker. Magic would find a way to punish them all, there was no way they could get away with what they did.

Susan was the one who suggested taking advantage of Harry's lack of knowledge. To her credit, she seemed immensely ashamed of herself, but her magic was on the line... Albus didn't like it, but admitted that it might be the best solution. He had suggested just talking to Harry, but there was just too much at stake for Amelia to risk it.

Dumbledore had, thankfully, managed to recover both of the copies Harry made. He lifted them after the lad fell asleep. The contracts were not in themselves deceptive, only the motivation behind them. No sane person, with any legal or historical training, would review that contract without knowing the Bones family had betrayed the Potters somehow. At least Albus had signed them too. He was in it just as deep as they were.

Albus said he would have some form of an alliance re-established after emotions calmed a bit. As Harry's magical guardian, he could press for it. Unfortunately, now that Harry was the official Potter heir, Harry had to agree. And Tier One would have to wait until Harry was of age. Even that might never happen. A tier two or even three may suffice to prevent shame falling on the Bones family. Amelia couldn't help but wonder, how on earth had Albus managed to become Harry's magical guardian? Likely he did something dishonest and morally repugnant. But probably not illegal. Not that she could do anything about it now.

Amelia would present her findings to Harry after the first task. She didn't want him to be distracted. Her lawyer was looking into the original contract and terms of their alliance. Gringotts would be no help, they were refusing to help anyone. They also had refused to open their doors until the perpetrators of the 'cowardly attacks' are brought to justice. How would they react after reading her coverup report? Fudge will likely go crazy over this. There will be no one he could shift the blame to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The full impact of betraying a Tier 1 Alliance will be realised later in the story. There is a reason Amelia is horrified.
> 
> Up Next: The first task.


	15. Chapter 15

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fourth year would be split between having 'summary' chapters and new chapters focusing more on where divergence from Canon occurs. I do not want to re-tell what most readers already know, but I will spotlight where divergence occurs. The more time goes by, the greater the divergence. Year five will be a full split.**

**Harry and Bill have been working with Sirius and Ted Tonks on ways to free him from Dumbledore's control. Bill had noticed many odd inconsistencies in how Dumbledore acquired guardianship and some of the odd decisions made. He was also concerned about the growing strength of the animosity curse centered in Harry's scar.**

**Use of a Corporeal Patronus dampened the effects, but only when Harry is in its presence. Also, the animosity was somehow being projected throughout the castle. Bill was certain Dumbledore knows more than he says and intends to confront him on it. Finally, Harry was struck with a potentially lethal curse and Amelia Bones has learned that the Bones heiress was a part of the attack. She broke the alliance with deceit and was** _**extremely** _ **nervous about the ramifications of her actions. Currently, Harry is preparing for the First task which he knew involved Dragons. This is where we pick up.**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.**

— **DoD—**

** The First Task **

**Hogwarts**

**Chamber of Secrets**

**Sunday, November 24, 1994**

Harry got up at the crack of dawn to see the Dragons one more time. No changes there. He met Hermione and brought her into the chamber. Hermione spent the first hour just wanting to explore the rooms, but after settling down for a late breakfast, she was ready to start working with Harry.

Harry looked at his best friend and repeated what he had said a dozen times today, "Hermione, thanks for helping me. Bill was supposed to, but apparently the tournament rules forbid it. I have a few ideas, but being laid up in the infirmary hasn't helped me in preparation."

Hermione pulled out massive notes and a few books. "Well, we know there are four Dragons. We know the types as well. The Norwegian Ridgeback and the Swedish Short Snout are the easiest. Not very smart. Just distract them with something edible. Disillusion yourself and grab the egg. The Chinese fireball is significantly smarter. But it has very large eyes that sit on the front of its face. Maybe a conjunctivitis curse? Blind it a bit… then distract it with sounds and transfiguration distractions. Honestly, though - It's the Hungarian Horntail that worries me."

Harry agreed immediately, "Yeah, me too! That Dragon is pure malice. It took twice as many handlers to keep her in line."

"Yes. Well, I was thinking more along the lines of small recessed eyes, making it hard to blind. Amazing sense of smell. So, disillusionment will not work well. Really, I'm surprised they would bring that species. It is easily double or triple the threat of the other three."

"Hermione, I doubt they intended to have four contestants. And there must not have been any other nesting mothers." Thinking about it, he added, "I hope Fleur doesn't get that one."

Hermione did a double take, " _Fleur_? Harry, what about YOU?"

"I have no idea." Harry was not looking well. Hermione knew he was nervous.

Hermione considered what Moody had told her a few days ago during a weird and unplanned tutoring session. 'When you don't know what to do, stick with what you are **best** at.' As she thought about it, Professor Moody seemed to be telling her this for a reason… did he mean for her to pass it on to Harry? What was Harry best at? Suddenly, she had an idea!

"Harry, no one in the school is a better flier than you. When you are on your firebolt, you are so fast and manoeuvrable… What if you just flew around her and grabbed the egg?"

Harry just looked at her. Could it be that simple? "Wait, I can only bring a wand with me…"

"Use the summoning charm. Distance matters, but with a bit of practice…" She was suddenly back in her manic mode. Talking about field of vision, range of fire breathing, leaping ability… They were all huge, so flight manoeuvrability would be minimised. They would be slow to take off given their size… and he could take advantage of that. Harry was beginning to feel better by the minute.

They spent the next few hours practicing the 'Accio' summoning charm. When Harry showed high proficiency, they went outside and practiced the charm for longer distances. Eventually, Harry felt certain he could summon any portable object up to a mile away. Maybe further had they tried. Hopefully, he could replicate it under stress. As he looked over at his best friend, he wondered how she might feel about being _more_ than just friends… He'd ask her to the Yule Ball after the task. Maybe she would even say 'yes'.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmasters Office**

**November 24th**

**While Harry and Hermione are practicing the Summoning charm.**

Bill wanted to strike the man. Albus Dumbledore had approached him and wanted to discuss Harry. Bill had reluctantly agreed. Dumbledore had shown him the diary of Tom Riddle and confessed to it being a Horcrux. Bill had heard of that horrific piece of dark magic and asked to inspect the diary. As he looked it over and cast various diagnostic spells on it, he slowly realised one terrible fact. It had the same basic blueprint that Harry's scar carried.

Bill looked directly at the man his parents put on such a high pedestal. "You arrogant son of a bitch. You knew. You've known all along."

Albus Dumbledore calmly answered, "And what would you have had me do, William? Share this with the Department of Mysteries? We both know what Harry's fate would have been had I done that. Enlist curse-breakers or practitioners of soul magic? That would have had the same outcome. Put him with a wizarding family? They would have torn him apart. Bind his magic? That would have driven him insane."

As angry as he was, Bill knew Dumbledore had limited options. Five years ago, before he met Harry, he would have called it a hopeless situation and might have recommended a mercy killing. "So why tell me now?"

Dumbledore leaned into his hand and rubbed his temple. "Simple. You care enough about Harry that you will help me, to help him. I'll admit, I am at a loss. Every idea I have had or obscure arcane reference found would have killed the host with the Horcrux removal. I need someone who is better at curses. Someone I can trust with Harry's safety." He then added, "Your discovery of the Patronus offering some level of respite was… brilliant. It made me think there is still a chance…"

Bill thought about it and asked, "How has he survived this long? It should have consumed him years ago…"

Dumbledore weakly smiled. "His mother gave him protection. Her sacrifice created a level of magic that is protecting him. But lately, it's wavering. The extreme animosity toward the boy. The curse that nearly killed him… It should have done no more than stunned him a bit. I suspect that, unless something is done, within two years Harry's defences will erode and the Horcrux will consume him completely."

Bill considered what he had heard, "One thing I don't understand. Why the animosity? Why would the Horcrux cause its host pain and… emotional trauma? It needs Harry. If he dies, it dies."

"It needs Harry isolated, so it can be reunited with Voldemort. It needs Harry vulnerable and alone, afraid to ask for help. Also, it seems to somehow _feed_ on the trauma it creates. The more pain it puts Harry through, the more it seems to gain. The more it erodes the protections his mother made. It does **not** want Harry dead, just weakened and alone. I imagine it especially hates **you** , William." Dumbledore let that sink in.

Bill pointed out a fact he had noticed. "Well, not everyone is affected. My dad, Ginny, Hermione…" He thought he knew why, but he wanted to see if Dumbledore had come to the same conclusion.

Dumbledore fell back into his grandfather demeanour. "Ah, yes. I suspect vows and debts offer an additional layer of protection. Your sister has a life debt, so she is relatively immune. Your father is the head of the Weasley family, so he also has the life debt from his daughter. Then there is Miss Granger, who owes him a life debt of her own. I suspect you made a vow or perhaps the apprenticeship contract gives you _some_ level of resistance, but probably not as much. As I said, I have been researching this since the horrible night that took Harry's parents."

Bill nodded. He had drawn similar conclusions. "Ok, you have been researching this for years. Let me review your notes. Horcruxes are not as rare in Ancient Egypt as in Old Europe. Contrary to what many believe, Herpo the Foul did not create the first one." Bill suddenly straightened and made a realisation, "Wait a minute. Two Horcruxes? That has never been done. If he was willing to make two… why not more? Dumbledore, how many are there?"

Dumbledore just shook his head, "Alas, I have no idea. My primary goal is saving Harry. However, no one would just make two. Three is a number of power. Unfortunately, Tom was always enamoured with another number. One with even greater significance than three. Even as a child, he favoured the number seven…"

"Seven! That's insane! What kind of a madman would split his soul seven times?" Bill had gotten up and was now pacing.

"I have been collecting memories of Tom Riddle. All the way back to his birth. Some yield far more information than others, but they all give insight into the mind of a madman." Dumbledore poured two glasses of fire whiskey. He handed one to Bill. "One day, I will share them with Harry, but for now, I'd like to share them with you. I admit to needing assistance."

"Why Harry? Not that I'm in favour of keeping him in the dark, but why him specifically?" Bill knew there was more here than Dumbledore was admitting.

"For now, let's just say, I have my reasons. But we need to do something about the Horcrux. At the end of the tournament, I had considered using Basilisk venom again. It seemed to damage the Horcrux considerably. I am certain Fawkes will assist, but it is dangerous. And Harry already has inert venom in his veins, along with traces of Fawkes' original tears. It may not even work. If we cannot do something, Harry will be consumed before he graduates."

Bill knew Albus Dumbledore had kept this to himself longer than he should have. Absolutely shameful. But at least he had some decent motivation. "Let's see your notes. And Albus, _no more secrets!"_

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**The First Task**

**November 25**

True to fate, Harry drew the Hungarian Horntail. Bill was there with his Owl Patronus on his shoulder. Harry saw Fleur and Victor look at him in concern. Even Cedric seemed less irritated with him. They were all too focused on surviving. McGonagall tried to talk to him, but he just walked past her. Bagman described the rules. Basically, they had to get past a nesting Dragon and capture a golden egg that was mixed in with the others. Bagman had taken him aside and tried to offer him tips, but Harry just said he had a plan. Bagman didn't offer anyone else tips…

Bill put his hand on Harry's shoulder, "You will be fine. Just do what you do best!" Hermione had told him about their plan. Bill agreed that it was the best bet, especially for the Horntail. Bill wasn't allowed to stay, but he spent a moment with Fleur before he left. Bill left his owl Patronus with Harry and followed Fleur to the side of the tent. Was that even legal? Who knows, but it definitely made him feel better and the scar recede.

Harry gave Bill and Fleur privacy, he could see she was becoming very important to Bill. She had been nice to Harry as well. Hermione snuck into the tent and hugged Harry. She was his rock nearly as much as Bill. They were photographed together and Victor ran off the perpetrators. That damn Rita Skeeter. As if they didn't have enough to worry about? Then, the champions were all alone. Waiting.

Cedric was up first. The other three contestants had to wait and listen to the announcers. Hearing the Dragon roar. Hearing the play by play progress Cedric had made. It was finally clear he had succeeded. Fleur was up next. Harry wished her luck and she seemed to really appreciate it. Victor did the same.

The process was repeated. Fleur was successful and the crowd cheered. Then, Victor was up. Harry made sure to wish him luck as he had Fleur. Harry hated that he had to wait the longest. He listened intently to Victor's task and it sounded like a success. The Dragon had sounded like it was in pain… But, all the champions had survived. Now it was just him.

His heart was beating at an unbelievable rate. After Victor left, Bill's Patronus vanished. It was time for business. Time to prove himself. Time seemed to slow down. Eventually, he was told to make his way to the arena. Harry was now up.

He stepped into the enclosure and saw the Horntail at the other side. She was HUGE! Seeing her up close was so much different than seeing her from a few hundred feet in the air. And that tail! Every time it moved, it carved huge gouges in the ground. He and Hermione hadn't thought about the tail. Harry noticed a shimmering haze around the arena. Apparently, they had set up defences to prevent the spectators from getting hurt. Lucky them. Harry's hand began to tremble.

Clearing his mind and focusing he said " ** _Accio Firebolt!_** " He stayed focused and waited. Soon, heard the Firebolt and turned to see it approaching. It stopped in mid-air beside him and he climbed on it. Kicking off, he soared up into the air. Away from the ground. Away from the Fear and Anxiety! This is no different than a Quidditch match! He let out a brief chuckle as he turned and looked at the Dragon below. Time to get to work.

Harry was like a fly to the huge beast. He buzzed around and annoyed her constantly. He pushed the Firebolt to a level that most had never seen. The flame was easy to predict, but the wings were a bit hard to dodge. She took a few bites at him as well, but never caught him. Harry was actually enjoying himself. He wondered if Victor was watching… Then he had to swerve to avoid the tail. It grazed his shoulder and burned like fire, but he was a Quidditch player. A little pain was no big deal. Stay focused! He just had to make the dragon angry! Furious! Use her horrible temperament against her.

He finally got the Dragon angry enough that she decided to take off and leave her eggs. Once she rose up enough, Harry dove under her and retrieved the golden egg. He hastily flew behind the barrier and circled over the stands where everyone was cheering. He had the best time!

He watched the Dragon keepers subdue the Horntail. McGonagall appeared to be trying to get his attention, but he just ignored her. He flew directly to the medical tent to get his arm looked at. It was beginning to hurt more as his adrenalin levels dropped. Lots of blood too.

Landing in the tent, a silver owl Patrons flew over to his shoulder. He was then greeted by Bill and Fleur. They were holding hands! Fleur come over and actually hugged him! Bill did too. Then Hermione came over and put him in a real bear hug. She had been crying. She said "Harry, you were brilliant!" Soon they were joined by Hagrid and Charlie and Professor Flitwick. It was like a miniature party. Harry saw Victor on the edge of the group and motioned him to join. He knew what it was like to feel left out. Cedric was still being treated, but after the way he had treated Harry, no worries there.

Soon Madame Pomfrey came over and ran everyone off. She treated the wound while muttering something about Dementors and Dragons… After being treated, she went back to Cedric. McGonagall entered the tent. "That was very well done, Mr. Potter. You are probably the best Student flier I have ever seen." Harry just smiled and nodded. After an awkward moment, she added, "I have no doubt, you could play professionally if you chose…"

Harry had enough. "Thank you. But not being in a house makes it hard to practice. Maybe at my next school I'll join a Quidditch team. I may be able to replace Victor at Durmstrang since he is graduating this year…" Harry had no idea if Victor really was graduating or not, and he had no desire to go to Durmstrang. Still, it ended the awkward conversation. And he had somehow managed to stay polite. Bill's rules.

"Well, yes. I suppose." McGonagall didn't know what to say.

"I should go see my scores now." And he walked out. Soon the scores were posted. Victor Krum had tied him for first place. Then Fleur, and finally Cedric. All had lived. All had retrieved their egg.

Ludo Bagman approached and told them a bit about the next task. It would take place at 9:30AM February twenty fourth. Apparently the golden eggs were hollow and contained a clue for the second task. Plenty of time. One task down, two to go. Hopefully, Gringotts was happy with the results.

Harry pulled Hermione into an empty class room. "Hermione, I couldn't have done it without you! I can't tell you what this means to me… I owe you big time!"

Hermione just smiled and said, "You would have been fine, Harry. And you don't owe me anything. I still remember when you saved me from that Troll… that was something!"

Harry smiled. He remembered that too. "I'd say we're square now Hermione! I saved you and now you saved me! No debt and a clean slate!" His scar suddenly flared up. It almost never did that around Hermione or Ginny. They were immune…

"O-OK, Harry." Hermione suddenly got a glazed look. Nonononono!

Harry knew what that meant. He had to work fast! "Listen, I want you to know… I think you're brilliant. I always have. Since first year. I know we're best friends, but I thought, maybe we could be more. I'm… mad for you Hermione! I **really** like you…" He paused as he saw she wanted to say something. Please, please, please…

"Harry, I think…" Hermione was suddenly thinking about all the reasons she shouldn't be with Harry. All the ways she felt inadequate. Really, he was 'Harry Potter' and she was just a bucktoothed, frizzy-haired, bookworm. She had harboured feelings for Harry for three years… but now… He would only leave her in the end.

She heard the words coming out of her mouth, "I think we should just be friends." Why was she saying this? She loved Harry!

Harry crumpled. He looked like he had lost… "OK. Well, I guess… friends are good. I'll see you around." As Harry looked at her, he realised her immunity had worn off. At least the scar only affected her the way it had Neville and Colin. But he would still distance himself. He couldn't bear for her to feel… the way his scar made his other friends feel.

Harry got up hugged her, thanked her again, and went back to the Chamber of Secrets. He needed to be alone.

Hermione just stayed in that room. Wondering what had happened. She reflected on Harry saving her from the Troll. He had actually leapt on the monsters back and nearly died. How on earth was that equal to her telling him to 'fly his broom'? The more she thought about it, the more she realised Harry was just being nice. She would always owe him.

Somehow, this cleared her mind. She did love Harry. Had she been thinking clearly, the conversation would have gone _very_ differently. But would that have been the best thing? Harry needed to stay focused. Dating her would **not** accomplish that. She'd stay friends with him and help him survive this awful tournament. Then, after the tournament, she'd set him straight and hopefully give it a go. But not now. He needed her as a friend more than a girlfriend.

She could wait a year.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Visiting Office of Amelia Bones**

**November 25**

**10:00 PM**

Amelia Bones had watched the First task with amazement. All the champions had performed exceptionally. Especially Harry! While she did not like the fact that such a dangerous tournament was underway, she had to admit it was incredibly entertaining!

Her lawyer had made some headway in researching the Potter alliance. While he had just begun to scratch the surface, he found: The Potters had turned to the Bones family for support a few years before the 1066 Viking invasion. That had involved Norse battle wizards and allied Giant clans. Originally it had been a Tier Two level alliance. It was elevated to Tier One when the Normans invaded just after the Vikings were repelled. The Normans were the greater threat. Far more vicious.

Back in 1066, the Potters were a small family regarded as the best Enchanters and Warders in Europe. Highly skilled magically, but not in combat. They were afraid that their small family would be targeted and enslaved by the Normans. The Bones family was much larger and widely respected for their Battle Magic. They had agreed to protect and represent the Potters in return for the Potters providing wards and enchanted weapons. The Bones family had ruthlessly pressured the Potters to increase the commitment to Tier One. It was a strong arm tactic and it appears to have benefitted the Bones family far more than the Potters.

The ward structure of the Bones Manor was near impregnable and had been designed by the Potter head of family in accordance to the alliance. He was required to sacrifice most of his own magic in the creation, making it near sentient in its ability to defend and protect. When he was done, he was a near squib and the Bones Manor was among the greatest strongholds in Europe. On par with Hogwarts. Amelia realized that the ancient Bones family must have been as ruthless and opportunistic as the ancient Potter Family was terrified and desperate.

As long as each generation reaffirmed their commitment to each other, the wards would hold. They would become stronger. The Bones Manor would stand as an impregnable fortress. The seat of the Bones family.

Amelia sat back and considered how much their position had changed over the last millennia. The Bones family had been nearly wiped out in the last two wars. Most had perished fighting Grindlewald, and the rest fighting Voldemort. There were a few families that were third or fourth cousins, but none of the main line. It was now just Amelia and Susan. Perhaps she'd have to bring a few cousins into the core family. To shore it up. But that is a problem for another day.

The Potters had developed their own Battle magic. Charlus was not just a master warden and curse-breaker. That man could fight. He had developed Battle magic on par with the Bones family. Likely he had assistance from Dorea Potter née Black. She was a frightening witch and well versed in the Black Family Magic. He built, used, and refined the Potter Battle magic in the Grindlewald war.

So, what could the Bones family offer to reset the alliance? Harry would have access to all of that Potter Battle Magic as well as the Aggressive and Lethal Curses of the Black family. He had fame and would soon have at least as much political power as the Bones Family. He would be Lord Black and Lord Potter. And Harry sure as hell wasn't going to sacrifice the majority of his magic to reset those wards. She wouldn't even consider asking him to do that. Her ancestors may have been unscrupulous, but she was not. Well, she did end the alliance in a shady way... to her eternal shame.

Truthfully, the Bones family now had little to offer young Harry.

So, the Bones family had lost... much. She would need to find out which weapons had been brokered in the alliance. Was her own Claymore a Potter design? What of the family Longsword and cloak? So many of the artefacts in the Bones family vault dated back to that generation. Many of those artefacts had solidified their position in post Norman Britain. They helped elevate the family in what eventually became the Wizengamot.

And the wards... Thank Merlin Voldemort was dead and gone. Otherwise, Bones Manor would be vulnerable. Perhaps she could hire Gringotts to replace the wards. They'd be inferior to the original Potter wards, but this was peace time. How much protection did she really require? If she could get some orichalcum, standard wards would come close... But that was so rare. So expensive!

Now the disturbing question: If the alliance had been 'officially' ended, why did she still feel protective of the last Potter? Amelia Bones was not a maternal woman. She loved and protected Susan, but that was _family_. Why did she feel just as strongly about protecting Harry? Was it guilt? That was absolutely there. But would it be this strong? No...

Susan had betrayed the alliance before it had been officially ended. Would that matter? Was there some sort of _penalties_ involved? Was she feeling that now?

The Potters originally had to sacrifice far more for the alliance, and they were considerably more skilled in designing contracts and enchantments than the Bones family in 1066. It stood to reason that the Potters would have built in safeguards to ensure Bones compliance after the many great sacrifices the Potter family had been required to make. Was it possible that ending the alliance caused the Bones Family **_more_** problems than it solved?

Amelia knew she needed more information.

As she wrapped up and prepared for bed, she considered their awful position. That's the problem with Tier One alliances, they seemed to 'stick'. Perhaps the Magic in Tier One alliances required more than pieces of paper and blood quills to end. But how much more?

Susan had royally screwed up.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**The Owlery**

**November 26th**

**The Day After the First Task**

**7AM**

Harry had slept decently. Still not dream time with his mum… God he missed her. He needed someone to talk to. Maybe Fleur? Hermione's rejection had stung, but it was ok. Better he know now. And he needed to shield her from the effects of his scar. That only left Ginny as the last immune person. Well, Bill seemed immune too, but he needed his Patronus to keep it that way.

The Yule Ball was approaching and Harry was told he had to open with a dance. He needed a date. Harry knew Neville was going to ask Ginny to the Yule Ball, so she was out. It seemed wrong to take that from Neville when he had planned to ask Hermione. Maybe he could find someone that was less affected…

Harry attached letters to Dudley and Bill to Hedwig. Dudley's letters were addressed to the ministry of muggle affairs. They would forward them. Hermione had shown him that trick their first week at school. He had written Dudley a couple of letters and Dudley had actually written back. Apparently the boy had taken up boxing. He was a real natural and the exercise was helping him lose the fat and build up muscle. No way Harry would go back to the Dursley's until his scar was fixed. Dudley was tough before he took up boxing. What would he be like now? That made him shudder.

Harry affixed a letter to Sirius to a school owl. Hedwig was too easily recognised. There. All done, now he would go back to the Chamber and prepare for his day. As he turned, he saw Cho Chang enter. She had always been nice to him and he had always thought she was pretty. Very pretty actually. And she wasn't wearing one of those damn badged Malfoy had given out…

Harry decided to 'test the waters' and said, "Hi, Cho."

She looked at him and smiled slightly. "Hi, Harry."

Yes! No nasty looks or sneers. Maybe… "Hey listen Cho…I don't know if you've been asked or not... but… "Willyougototheballwithme…asyouknowmydate"

She crinkled her eyebrows slightly, "What was that, Harry?"

Harry realized he had talked way too fast. "Oh, Sorry. Will you go to the Ball with me? As my date?" He felt his scar flare up. Shite! Here we go. Her eyes glazed over slightly… then returned to normal.

"Sure, Harry. I'd love to go with you." She then smiled. She was so pretty.

"Thanks, Cho. Listen, some people don't really like me. I don't want them to take it out on you… maybe let's just keep this quiet until the Ball." Then thinking about how this might sound, "I'm super proud to go with you, please don't think otherwise… But I get hexed a lot and so do my friends…"

She smiled and chuckled lightly, "It's OK, Harry. I understand and I'll keep it quiet. We can let everyone know with the first dance of the Ball."

Harry beamed. Things were looking up. "Thanks, Cho! I can't wait." And he took off.

Cho Chang sent off her letters. Most were to friends and family. Telling them she had a date to the Yule Ball. The Hogwarts Champion, no less. Cedric Diggory had asked her to be his date right after the first task. What she had planned for Harry Potter would be icing on the cake. A date with the **real** Champion, and putting the upstart cheater in his place. Too sweet. Like Harry, she couldn't wait, either.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**The Headmasters Office**

**9AM**

Bill had spent the night reading over Dumbledores notes. They were not the notes of a curse-breaker, but they were still very good. A few areas seemed odd, but most of it was linear and relatively easy to follow. Still, there were pints he needed to address. Disturbing points. The two of them were sitting in Dumbledores office. Bill in a comfortable chair, and Albus in his ornate wingback behind his enormous desk.

Albus Dumbledore could sense the irritation in the young man. He had learned something… "William, I confess to not expecting to see you so soon. Do you have questions regarding my notes?"

"Yes, I do actually. You recognised that Lily's sacrifice was giving Harry defence against the Horcrux." Bill saw Albus nod. He pressed on, "It was tied to Harry's magic and his blood."

Albus was not sure where Bill was going, "Yes. Perfectly intertwined."

"And fully containing the Horcrux. You then used those same protections to power blood wards on the Dursley home. Extremely powerful blood wards."

Now Albus had a clue where Bill was going. "Yes. I had to ensure no harm came to Harry or his new guardians."

"But by doing that, you weakened Harry's own protections. You essentially allowed the Horcrux to grow. You are the reason the damn thing was able to escape the protections. Hell, you are the reason that boy has had such a horrible life. Ten years those wards pulled from the protections Lily sacrificed to give him! Ten Bloody years!"

"I felt I had no other choice. Eventually, the Horcrux would probably have broken free. But, yes. The wards hastened it's growth. However, without those wards… The remaining Deatheaters would have found him and… taken their revenge. The Malfoys alone were fighting for custody…"

"Did you think about what this would do to him? To the poor Dursley family?"

"I did. I truly thought I might find a solution much sooner once I was able to review the Potter magic… But it is all written in a dead language and I have not been able to decipher it. Are you familiar with Linear A? Minoan Hieroglyphs?"

Bill knew of Linear A _and_ Minoan Hieroglyphs. He also knew that Harry understood both somehow. He didn't trust Dumbledore enough to tell him that. "Why not just bring him here as a baby? To the Castle and raise him yourself? You could have protected him without the need for the blood wards. You wouldn't be the first Headmaster to have family members at Hogwarts."

"I confess, I hadn't considered that. It seemed better to place him with a loving family…"

"No. No family would be loving while a Horcrux was affecting them. Especially if they slept near it. Near Harry. Which they did. You knew this too. I read your notes. You used compulsion charms to protect the boy from physical harm. To ensue he was given food, shelter, clothes… But even that wasn't quite enough. Dudley still beat him, even if his parents couldn't. The clothes were little more than rags. Cast off clothing from his cousin. Food? Yes, he could always have food, but never sit with the family. Like a house elf. Place to sleep? The damn cupboard under the stairs! You knew and did nothing!"

"Harry was **safe**. He had food. Once here, he was dressed exactly like everyone else. And the cupboard was farther away from the Dursleys… I had hoped his sleeping further away would help…"

"Have you even looked at the Dursleys? You put a compulsion charm on Vernon Dursley to go and have sweets whenever he got angry at Harry. Did you think he would just have a few lemon drops? The Horcrux keeps him angry all the time… He is now morbidly obese. The mother had a compulsion charm to shower her son with 'Love'… whenever she felt irritation or animosity toward Harry. Again, that was all the time. You wrote that you hoped Dudley would be nicer if his mother would love him more. She spoiled him _rotten_!"

Albus was becoming irritated. He was not used to be addressed this way. "Yes, I've made mistakes. Your point?"

"You could have taken Harry in and saved him all this pain. You didn't. And I think I know why. You didn't want to get _too_ close. In case you had to 'terminate' Harry. That's what you were saying when you wrote about avoiding ' _sacrifices for the greater good_ '. Tell me I'm wrong."

Dumbledore no longer looked like a quirky grandfather He seemed to shift. He looked like a dangerous mage. "William. Harry Potter has the raw potential to be more powerful than Grindlewald, Voldemort, or even me. If the Horcrux manages to take over, he could be the worst dark lord that has ever lived. He would have all of Voldemort's knowledge and all of his own prodigious power. Power that is currently fighting itself internally between his mother's protection and the Horcrux. Yes, William, it can draw on his power just as Lily's protection can. Lately, it is drawing even more. That should also be in my notes."

The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Albus Dumbledore spoke first. "Now, let's discuss what needs to be done to protect the boy. Hopefully, we won't have to make the _terrible choice_. We have perhaps... 18 months before that happens. Unless things change...

Bill now knew the man Albus Dumbledore was. A good man, but willing to sacrifice innocents for the 'Greater Good'. Maybe he was even right, but no one was there to give him 'checks and balances'. He kept his decisions to himself and suffered from a lack of perspective. A diversity of opinion. That autocratic style may work on the battlefield, but this is Soul magic. Curse magic. Albus was definitely _**not**_ the authority on this.

Albus was hiding something. Still keeping Secrets. Sirius had mentioned a prophecy, but Albus hadn't even brought it up. Bill would trust Dumbledore to do the right thing in general, but he now knew, more than ever, that he had to get Harry away from the man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are enjoying the story – Feedback is appreciated.
> 
> Notes:
> 
> OK, so we finally got to the first task, but I got through several critical points:
> 
> 1\. The first task was delayed from November 24th to the 25th due to Harry's injuries.
> 
> 2\. I went with the book version of the task – less dramatic, but keeps the story moving ahead.
> 
> 3\. This is a bit of a 'set up' chapter, the Gringotts reaction, The Bones report, Sirius' plans, and the Yule Ball will be up soon.
> 
> 4\. Dumbledore brought Bill into the loop - Finally. His fear right now is that Harry would snap and kill someone. He had to Keep Harry close, but he fears Harry could go dark and start slaughtering people. His 18 month estimate is just a best guess. He also knows Harry went from 'pretty good' to nearly 'consumed' by the Horcrux in a week. That terrifies him. He has no idea the Diadem is in the Castle or that it was used on Harry.
> 
> 5\. Harry was gently rejected by Hermione. It really is for the best and I referenced it in Casting Shadows. They will still be best friends.
> 
> 6\. I have now gotten the Dance of Death back to a point where I can begin splitting my time between this story and Casting Shadows. So, the updates will slow a bit, but releasing four chapters in a week should have been enough to satisfy the loyal followers that have been waiting.
> 
> Also, in the next chapter of 'Casting Shadows', the Bones/ Potter alliance betrayal has ramifications.
> 
> Other Points:
> 
> In this story, Tom Riddle knew the way the Room of Requirement worked and placed the Diadem inside the room to curse the DADA position. Because Dumbledore does not know about the Diadem or the fact that a Horcrux is in the Room of Requirement, he has been unable to permanently break the curse. He breaks it each year, then it comes back. He has no idea why or how.
> 
> So, in an earlier chapter, Barty Crouch Jr. used the Diadem to charge up Harry's damaged Horcrux. But he did more than that. The two Horcruxes are now synchronised. The Diadem is acting like an antenna for Harry's Horcrux and projecting the negative feedback throughout the castle. Obviously, proximity matters and being in the same room with Harry makes it far more concentrated, but there is really no escape from its effect inside Hogwarts. The Corporeal Patronus is the only real way to shield the effects, but that only lasts while it is present. And not many people can even cast it.
> 
> Till next time.


	16. Chapter 16

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fourth year will alternate between having 'summary' sections and detailed sections focusing more on where divergence from canon occurs. I do not want to re-tell what most readers already know, but I will spotlight where significant divergence occurs. I also want to cut back on the angst and advance the story. I find stories with 300K+ words can be hard to get through, summaries keep the word count under control. Year five will be a full split and this is where I would rather focus the detail.**

**Dumbledore has finally told Bill about the Horcrux and the fact that there are likely more. Bill knows Dumbledore is still keeping secrets, but he now has something to work with. Given all of Dumbledores secrets and how he is so possessive of Harry, Bill is eager to get Harry away from him.**

**Bill has been working with Sirius and Ted Tonks on ways to free Harry from Dumbledore's control. Bill has noticed many odd inconsistencies in how Dumbledore acquired guardianship and some of the unusual decisions made. He is also concerned about the growing strength of the animosity curse centered in Harry's scar. Use of a Corporeal Patronus dampens the effects, but only when in its presence. Also, the animosity is somehow being projected throughout the castle.**

**Finally, Harry was struck with a potentially lethal curse and Amelia Bones has learned that the Bones heiress was a part of the attack. She broke the alliance with deceit and is extremely nervous about the ramifications of her actions.**

**Currently, Harry is preparing for the Yule ball and trying to decipher the riddle in the egg.**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.**

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts**

**December Summary**

The latest weeks had been excellent. Harry had managed to avoid most conflict. Over time, most hostile students just grew bored with trying to ambush him. Planning ambushes was time consuming and only very rarely bore any fruit. With his increasing skill in volleying hexes and curses, many ambushes turned into quite a role reversal. Especially when Professor Moody would verify that the only curses came from their own wands. Harry started treating these ambushes as training exercises. It kept him from losing his temper and doing something Bill would call 'detrimental to their plans'. He only had to get through the dance, then everyone would leave the castle for the holidays and he could relax.

Hermione had made a point to stay close to him, despite her rejection. Harry had slowly decided this was all for the best. Whatever they had together seemed to work best as good friends. After about a week, Harry started studying with her again in Arithmancy. Hannah was in the same class, but she avoided him like the plague. Harry made sure to never have his back to her. He didn't trust her as far as he could throw her.

Harry and Dobby had become very close over the weeks. They laughed and cut up constantly. Dobby insisted on cleaning and taking care of Harry, but the two were definitely not a normal Wizard/House Elf combo. For Christmas, Harry bought very nice fabrics and materials for Dobby to make clothes for himself. Something of a loophole. He also got Pipsey the same, along with enough chocolate for them both to gorge on through the holidays.

The runes in Harry's old dorm had been causing havoc with his old dorm-mates. Uncontrollable stomach issues plagued them. Not a single boy was able to sleep for more than three hours before having to run to the rest room. Except Neville, of course. His bed was warded. Seeing Ron and Dean in Ancient Runes had showed the gradual effect. They were both half asleep and looked god awful. Good. No doubt Seamus was the same. The runes would fade out over the next few weeks, unless someone cancelled them out. Harry considered sneaking in and re applying them in the spring, but there was no real point. They just weren't worth his time.

The Goblins had opened their doors again, but they were treating every family they had determined to be 'Potter Haters' especially badly. Families whose children had signed the Declaration of ElectioEiectio against Harry were singled out. Horrible service. Meanwhile, Harry's own status at Gringotts had risen tremendously with his performance in the first task. He had the fastest score and was tied for first place. Winning meant a lot to Goblins, they don't like backing losers. Harry wondered how Fudge would react if he won the tournament. Normally the school that wins the tournament keeps the cup. But that would mean an ancient Wizarding Artifact would be stored and displayed at Gringotts.

Susan had tried to talk to Harry a few times, but he rebuffed her. Amelia Bones invited him to have a friendly discussion as well, he always found reasons to decline. Now that he knew what her family had done, he wanted nothing to do with either of them. After Amelia Bone's report had come out, Fudge had to make concessions to the Goblins to keep the doors open. However, once the full impact of the Tier One Alliance was understood, it was clear the Bones family had given up far more than they had bargained for. The many sacrifices the Potters had made centuries ago, when the alliance was formed, were now unravelling and Amelia was having difficulty keeping up with the losses.

The lawyers who read the original alliance said there would be steep penalties, but they weren't sure what they were. Basically, the Potters had been pressured into a horrible agreement when they were in a weakened position and the Bones family had profited tremendously. However, the Potters were renowned enchanters, and they built in clauses to protect future generations. They were afraid the Bones family would just try to end the alliance after they had gotten everything they wanted. While the Potters could pull out of the agreement easily enough, the Bones family could not. One lawyer had called it a 'masterpiece' of contract design. By the end of the year, the Bones Manor wards would be failing and substitutes would be required.

Gringotts was the only legal option for wards in Great Britain. The illegal options were substandard and would hurt the standing of the Bones family, given Amelia's position in the DMLE. The Goblins were charging Amelia extremely inflated prices for even basic wards. Bill said that the Goblins were basically punishing the Bones family. Gringotts now viewed the Bones Family as oath-breakers and Goblins _despised_ oath-breakers. Bill did caution Harry about sharing this. He said it would ruin the Bones family and Harry may need them one day. If the lawyers were correct, the Bones' were still required to protect and aid him and any children he may have. Whether they want to or not. The penalty for trying to escape their commitment would be severe.

Harry was still having regular duelling sessions with Professor Flitwick. He learned a great deal about stances, balance and reading your adversary. He learned to spot physical 'tells' and 'fake outs'. While they primarily focused on defensive manoeuvres, Professor Flitwick did work in the occasional advice around spell chains and strategies in using them. The amazing books Harry had been reading filled in the rest. He had no intention of being cursed and helpless again. The more Harry read, the more he understood what he was reading. The pieces were coming together. The fact that Hogwarts was basically a battlefield for him, full of skirmishes and ambushes, made the reading that much easier to relate to. That was the problem with reading about combat, it's all theory until you must start putting it into practice.

Professor Flitwick had him doing daily exercises to improve his performance. Basically endurance, balance and core training. Quidditch had helped a bit with the core conditioning and balance, but endurance had to be built. He couldn't take up running for fear of getting ambushed, so he took to using stairs in the Chamber of Secrets. Running up stairs over and over left him gasping. For the core he did various exercises – primarily planks and sit-ups + leg lifts. This would help his ability to twist and pivot, allowing for more effective dodges with return fire. Harry's balance training came when Flitwick had him stand on a device duellers used. It was round and about three feet in diameter. It hovered approximately ten inches off the floor, but it required even and stable balance to keep from 'tipping' side to side. With practice, Harry learned to cast and move about while standing on the device. It would shift and wobble, but he learned to recover quickly. Both feet had to stay down, so it was not to be used in real duels, but it greatly assisted him in learning how to control his movements.

Bill has continued working with Dumbledore on ways to affect the Horcrux. He believed the Patronus was the most effective means of containing it, but how to keep one near him constantly was a concern. He suggested sending Harry over the summer to live with a family capable of casting and maintaining the charm. Dumbledore was adamant that Harry stay with the Dursley's. Bill thought his reasoning was more around keeping control. Bill had expected the resistance, hypothesising that Dumbledore wanted full control of Harry even if it was not in Harry's best interest. He just nodded and moved on.

By next summer, if events proceed according to plan, Dumbledore would be hard pressed to have _any_ contact with Harry. Going back to his Patronus theory, he proposed researching a possible Rune schematic to replicate much of the Patronus charm. Something Harry could sleep under and keep on his person. This instantly intrigued Dumbledore. Maybe… maybe they could dial back the Horcrux and halt its growth.

**-DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Gryffindor Tower**

**Saturday, December 14, 1994**

The Quidditch team had just finished up their drills and returned to the common room. Angelina was promoted to team captain and she was quite happy with the way the team was lining up. With one, unfortunate, exception. Ginny was phenomenal on a broom, but she just struggling to find the Snitch. Most people just can't be seekers for that very reason. The Snitch was near invisible.

Katie knew they needed Harry. He had a near mythical ability to see the Snitch. He just seemed to hone in on it. It was always odd the way his eyes never moved, just his head and neck. Harry always seemed to be a hunter when he was playing. Silent and deadly. The Snitch was his prey and it never escaped. Ginny was a brilliant chaser, but she was no Harry Potter. Seeing the young boy fly around that Dragon had been the highlight of the year for Katie. Harry had broom skills right up there with Victor Krum.

So, here they are, trying to figure out how the team would operate next year. Angelina was desperate to win the cup in her seventh and final year. Alicia too. Katie actually enjoyed watching them struggle. They did this to themselves, and they knew it. Angelina had almost kicked Katie off the team when she had sided with Harry on the Declaration, but they knew better. Ginny could replace her as a chaser, but then they'd have no seeker. And Ginny had also sided with Harry. Punish Katie and Ginny leaves too. Punish Ginny, and you lose the twins. That's more than half the team. One of the twins was more sympathetic than the other, but she couldn't keep them straight. It was easier to just refer to them as Forge and Gred.

Angelina sat down and seemed to be deep in thought. "Ginny, we need to get you to a point where you can find the Snitch faster. Do you think you need glasses, maybe?"

Ginny looked dejected, "No, Angelina. I have good vision. I'm just not as good a seeker as Harry."

Angelina didn't say anything. Neither did Alicia. Harry's name was taboo now. "Well, Katie – what about you? Ever played seeker?"

Katie just shook her head, "Nope, and I don't intend to. Face it AJ, without Harry, we've lost our edge. The cup could be anyone's next year. We just got used to having Harry get the Snitch first." Thinking a moment, "But look on the bright side, the other seekers are so used to Harry beating them to it, they just follow his lead and try to steal it from him. They aren't any better off than we are… these games are going to go a very long time. That means the Chasers may be more important than ever before."

Katie enjoyed watching them suffer. After what they did to Harry, they deserved it. She just wished she had done more. When Harry was attacked in the common room, she ran and got help instead of staying and fighting. That still bothered her. She voted against the Declaration of ElectioEiectio, but she was part of the vast minority. Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Colin had also voted against the declaration. Now, she was just going about her day, while her friend was alone somewhere in the castle. A broom cupboard, according to the rumours. She had tried to find him once, but it was no use. She went to every cupboard she knew of, but he was not there. She did find quite a few students in compromising positions… But no Harry.

She was barely on speaking terms with the rest of the team. Well, Ginny was fine. This year was a far cry from the days where the three female chasers were inseparable. She'd actually gotten into a fist fight with Alicia, but that just got her detention. The twins had pranked her, and she pulled her wand and started firing curses. More detentions. One of them was green for a week, there was no problem telling them apart that week. Being easily identified seemed to make them miserable, especially when they couldn't replicate the shade and one was now hunter green while the other was more emerald green.

The Yule ball was approaching and she had a date with a Beauxbaton student. It'll be fun. She'd get to act like a 'lady' and not a 'tom-boy'. Amazingly, the shopkeepers were overly helpful in picking out a dress. Something about 'A witch we can be proud of'.

Katie knew where her loyalties were. Charlus Potter had served with her Grandfather in the Grindlewald war. He had footed the bill for their family restaurant nearly fifty years ago. How on earth could she abandon Harry, knowing how much her family owed the Potters? And with the sacrifices his family had made in the war… Not everyone had such good memories. The Weasley twins and Ron seem to have especially short memories.

Apparently, the Declaration was hanging on the wall of Gringotts and if your family was on the wrong side… well, don't respect service with a smile. Most people outside of Hogwarts who heard about the declaration were disgusted. All those who signed to have Harry removed from Gryffindor had a weekly howler or two from some outraged Witch or Wizard. But the Goblins took it to new heights.

**-DoD—**

**Gringotts**

**December 15th, 1994**

Harry had another Gringotts meeting, only to find Sirius and Professor Lupin in a conference room. They had brought early Christmas gifts. Sirius and Remus gave Harry a penknife that would untie any knot and open any locked door… if they weren't overly warded. A real Marauder tool! They said he needed to break a few rules now and again and that would help.

Sirius had put together a small book with curses straight from the Black library. It had been enchanted to only show its work when Harry breathed on the page, like a window. Yes, Harry had to continuously breathe on the book, but if anyone else got a hold of it, they would get a book full of bad poetry. Professor Lupin had moderated the choices and they compromised on a few with an age lock down. Basically, Harry would unlock slightly more lethal spells each year. While this was not anywhere close to the spell listing in the Black library, it was the curses Sirius favoured. And he favoured fast and direct. Harry loved it!

Sirius had researched Harry's position in the Black family and apparently, the 'Black Knight' was a title bestowed by Black Family Magic upon the most lethal member of the Black family. A Knight as young as Harry would be expected to begin training, which in a way, Harry had. Harry was now responsible for protecting and safeguarding the Black family. Or would be when he was of age. If he failed to protect, he was tasked with avenging them. This really was not a job for a fourteen year old, but magic had chosen him…

Finally, Lupin had given Harry a framed picture of his parents on their wedding day. Harry was nearly brought to tears with that one. Being shut off from his 'Dreamtime' had made him miss his mother especially. Seeing his parents together made Harry wish for a real family. The Dursleys were coming around, but he wanted a family now. Patience, he told himself. Sirius and Bill were working on it.

The plans to undermine Dumbledore's control of Harry were moving along slowly but steadily. Remus Lupin originally was not overly enthused about undermining Dumbledore, he felt like he owed the man. However, once Bill and Sirius displayed the scope of Dumbledores failures, he was on board. There was really no denying how poorly Dumbledore had acted with regards to Harry's best interests.

First, Remus was told how Dumbledore had acted with the Tonks' family, basically blackmailing them into having no contact with Harry. Then, the failure to get Sirius a trial and sending him to Azkaban for ten years. Inexcusable. Especially considering his willingness to forgive marked Deatheaters claiming 'Imperious'. Finally, they produced the most damning evidence. Dumbledore had caught Severus Snape eavesdropping and hearing the prophecy, but he let the man go. Dumbledore knew where a known Deatheater would go with the information, and he let it happen. Then, he hired that same Deatheater to work with children. Severus Snape had pointed Voldemort at the Potters and had never been held accountable.

Lupin was a smart man and he knew about self-fulfilling prophesies, but he put his friends above the 'greater good'. The last reveal made him want to rip Dumbledore apart. The man's actions had destroyed his pack. Add in the way he let that same Snape treated Harry… it was too much.

Sirius had explained that Ted Tonks was making excellent progress in his research, but had yet to request any key documents. The timing had to be perfect. Harry was not to have any direct contact with Ted or Andromeda Tonks. They were at a critical point and it was just too risky. From what Ted had learned, Dumbledore became the magical guardian without really understanding what that meant. When you are a magical guardian of a muggleborn, who is living with their muggle family, it is easy. You just help and guide. Dumbledore did this with all the muggleborn students and he likely thought that was the extent of what would be required with Harry, who was 'muggle-raised'. But there was a difference.

Muggle-raised or not, the magical guardian of a child from a wizarding family, like the Potters, had far more responsibilities. It was a massive job and Dumbledore did not yet know how badly he was failing. The man was supposed to be filing quarterly reports with the Wizarding Orphans Council (WOC), but he had never filed a single time. If he had, there would be red flags all over the report. Living in a cupboard for ten years… Basilisk Venom exposure... Dementor attacks... And so many other horrific events.

Being that Harry had always been the Heir to the Noble House of Potter, Dumbledore should have been bringing in tutors to prepare Harry for his future position. He had not. Harry had never even seen a single Gringotts statement. Adding in his new status as the Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble house of Black, and there was no excuse. Harry was warned to just keep his head down and don't tip his hand. Continue attending at least three classes. Dumbledore was amazingly clever and if he caught wind, the game would be over before it started.

Harry was cautioned that wheels were in motion, but they take time to turn fully. He couldn't get impatient. He was likely looking at a minimum of six months preparation before the execution. Get through the tournament, then expect to see changes. Bill didn't add that the Horcrux had to come out before he was placed with any other family. It had too much strength now. But that was a discussion for another day.

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts**

**December 25, 1994**

**The Yule Ball**

Harry had spent the last hour getting ready for the Ball. He had seen Cho a few times, but she had asked that he not say anything. For safety reasons. Fleur had taught him the basics of dancing and Hermione had practiced with him as well. Harry was nervous, but excited. Cho was so pretty and she was a good seeker as well. If they ran out of things to talk about, there was always Quidditch.

Professor McGonagall had sent word that they were to meet just outside the Great hall, where the Champions and their dates would enter together and lead the other schools through their first dance. Bill was Fleur's date and he came by to collect Harry. He had his Patronus on his shoulder, but Dumbledore would take over 'Patronus duty' once they got to the great hall. Fleur was waiting for him there. Just like Cho would be waiting for Harry.

"Looking good, Harry! You even managed to get your hair under control…" Bill was obviously enjoying this.

"Sleekeazy. Fleur got it for me. You don't look bad, yourself." Harry had a corsage in his hand for Cho. He was really nervous, but it would all be good. Harry hoped his hand didn't shake during the dance. He'd be surrounded by friends. Hermione was with Krum. Bill was with Fleur. Ginny would be there with Neville…

Bill wondered if he needed to have 'the talk' with Harry… No, he was too old and had probably heard enough. Maybe he'd see if Harry had questions, but not tonight. Tonight would be good.

As they walked up, they saw the other Champions, Hermione, and Cho. Harry noticed something odd, where was Cedric's date?

Professor McGonagall approached the group. "Champions, collect your dates and prepare to enter the Ball."

Cho went directly to Cedric. What the hell…

McGonagall looked over at harry, "Mr. Potter, where is your date?"

Harry just gaped, staring at Cho. "Cho… what are you doing?"

Cho just smiled at him and said, "I am going to the Yule Ball with my date, Harry." Cedric was looking confused. So were the other champions. It was now obvious what had happened. Even McGonagall seemed to pick up on what was going on.

Cho's friends were hovering around and one called out, "Looks like Potter doesn't have a date!" People started laughing. Harry just stood there. How had he let this happen? All those books on tactics and combat, but he left himself wide open socially. Emotionally. The laughter seemed to increase. Others were gathering around. His vision blurred a bit. Suddenly, everyone started to become quiet. Cho looked scared and Cedric stepped in front of her. Everything slowed down. His wand was in his hand.

" **Harry! Snap out of it!** " Bill had stepped in front of him. In front of his victims. His targets…

Harry slowly calmed down. He noticed it was now bitter cold. Colder than it was outside. Everyone was looking at him. Shivering. No one was laughing. They all looked… afraid. Good! He noticed that McGonagall had her wand out. As did Cedric. Cho looked absolutely terrified. The corsage in his hand was frozen solid. Holding it up and focusing, it burst into flames.

Harry looked at professor McGonagall. "If it's all the same to you, professor, I think I'll be skipping the ball." He didn't even recognise his own voice. It was so full of _venom._ Harry turned and walked away. Bill whispered something to Fleur and followed him.

**-DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Ladies Room**

Cho Chang had to excuse herself after the frightful event. Viktor and Fleur refused to enter the Great Hall without Harry. They were all looking at her. Like she was some kind of monster. Was she? As she stopped to think about what had happened, she realised how cruel she had been. She had set up Harry Potter for public humiliation. Harry had never done anything to her before. She had actually liked him a bit… until this year.

The way he had looked at her. His eyes actually glowed green. But the worst of it… they each had a red centre to them. Glowing red dots, surrounded by killing-curse green. He wanted to kill her. There was no mistaking his intention. He was going to attack her! If Bill Weasley hadn't stepped in… My god. He had red eyes! Just like you-know-who. And she had brought it on. What on earth made her think humiliating him would be a good thing? Cho had never been cruel like that before, this was beyond anything she ever thought herself capable of. In all these weeks, how had she never considered the ramifications of this prank? What it would say about her?

Someone just entered the bathroom. "I need privacy! Come back later." Cho called out.

A quiet voice just said, "I'm afraid, not."

Cho looked up to see Katie Bell. She looked gorgeous in her dress. Hair and makeup were flawless. She looked serious. Katie always came across as a Tom-Boy, but this image was anything but masculine. Until you get to her hands. Was she wearing quidditch gloves? The really tight kind… reinforced to protect the hands. Why was she wearing those tight leather gloves?

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts**

**Astronomy Tower**

Bill and Harry were just sitting and looking at the stars.

Harry took a deep cleansing breath. "I almost lost it Bill. Like never before. I can't believe what just happened. The curse never affected me before… but I think it might have this time.

Bill nodded, "I think you're right, Harry. All the nasty attacks you've suffered seem to have taken their toll. We need to work on rebuilding your defences. I have some ideas, but I need your help."

Harry looked at his friend and mentor. "Whatever you need, Bill."

Bill put on his curse-breaker hat. "We know of two things that hurt the curse. Basilisk venom and casting the Patronus charm. Basilisk Venom is out. I'd prefer not to kill you." That got a grin. "Patronus Charm it is. You've told me it recedes when there is a Patronus cast _near_ it, but it comes back afterward. But when **you** cast the Patronus last year, it damaged it. Right?"

Harry nodded, "Right. But it blocks my ability to cast it…"

"Well, I thought about that, Harry. If my Patronus can make the curse _recede_ , maybe you can cast a Patronus when mine is near… So, while my Patronus is here, I want _you_ to try to cast the Patronus charm. Let's see what happens."

It made sense. Harry pulled out his wand and attempted the charm. On the third try, he managed to summon a weak silvery mist. His scar burned like it was on fire. He held it as long as he could, but it faded after about five minutes.

"Good, Harry! Excellent. Take a minute and try again. Really focus on positive memories and feelings." Bill noted the way Harry flinched when he succeeded in casting the charm. He hoped that translated to damage to the Horcrux.

They kept it up for a good hour, then Hermione found them.

"Harry?" She looked so pretty in her blue dress. Her hair was so smooth!

"Hermione? Why aren't you at the ball? You look so _pretty_ …" Harry didn't want his friend to miss out on the Ball.

Hermione blushed under his complement. "I wanted to check on you… Harry, your scar is bleeding." She pulled out a handkerchief and began dabbing it on Harry's forehead.

"I'm fine, Hermione. Cho's prank really got to me. I know people are mad, but that was really over the top. Still, I should have seen it coming. You know, ' _Don't tell anyone', 'We'll surprise everybody', 'It'll be a night to remember'_ … How long did she laugh after I left?" Harry hated that he wanted to know this. But he did.

Hermione actually smiled at that. Not a normal smile, but one that she got when she was embarrassed about thinking something was funny. Like Ron's creative names for Goblins when he but couldn't remember their names on tests. Harry's favourites were 'KutYrBlzOff' and 'KillYoMama'. Despite all the crap Ron pulled, Harry did miss the fun they used to have together. Maybe it was just the Patronus' talking.

She said with that half smile, "Cho's not laughing, Harry. She's in the infirmary drinking Skele-gro. She's having teeth re-grown."

Harry just looked at her, "What…?"

Hermione then described the scene where Katie had beaten the seeker horrifically. Harry had seen Katie's aggression on the Quidditch Pitch, but not outside of the sport. Hermione then mentioned that Katie had a run in with Alicia last month after the Declaration and both girls were pretty busted up. But nothing like Cho. "Honestly, Harry. I think she may have just kept wailing on her even after she went down. There was no opening dance."

Harry thought about this for a minute. "Did Katie hurt her hands?" This made Bill laugh out loud.

Bill couldn't help but crack a joke, "Our Harry. Always concerned about the safety of others."

Hermione just chuckled. "No, Harry. When you left, she transfigured her lace gloves into quidditch gloves. The tight kind with the slightly reinforced knuckles. Really, those gloves should be banned."

"Oi! I have a pair. They keep you from breaking your hands and fingers."

"And help you break other people's bones and knock out teeth." Hermione added with a wry grin. Harry just shrugged.

Harry told Hermione that Bill was helping him with his charms. Sort of an 'impromptu' training class. Naturally, this peaked her curiosity. Harry then went back to practicing the Patronus. Harry's mist grew slightly stronger and his scar continued bleeding. Hermione joined in, but had inconsistent luck. A few silver sparks and an occasional mist. She'd been working on it since third year, but needed more 'power' to get it to form.

Soon Fleur and Viktor came to the tower as well. They both wanted to know how Harry was and apologised for not coming sooner. Their headmaster and headmistress had insisted they stay through the introductions. Then they took off. Soon, they were all practicing. Of the group, only Bill could cast a corporeal Patronus. Victor and Fleur could manage a dense mist. Hermione noted that Harry had done it once under stress… Bill noted that being surrounded by so many people casting the Patronus charm was really helping Harry. No one mentioned Cho Chang or her cruel trick. No one said anything about Harry's eyes glowing red either.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmasters Office**

Well, the Yule Ball had been a horrific failure. Harry was intentionally humiliated by a fellow student. Fleur and Viktor had no dates as William and Hermione had left to check on Harry. Cedric's date was in the infirmary after Katie Bell beat her savagely in the ladies room. Katie was always so nice and gentle! Minerva had been terrified by Harry who had apparently developed glowing eyes. Only the fact that Madame Maxime and Karkaroff stepped in had kept Fleur and Viktor at the event. They apparently left at the first opportunity, citing a need to check on their fellow champion. This was an event Albus Dumbledore hoped to forget one day.

Harry Potter's protection was slowly eroding. Based on what he had heard, Harry was very likely going to attack Ms. Chang. Had William not been there… the results may have been dire. Ms. Chang had pulled a terrible prank on Harry, but she couldn't be held fully accountable for her actions. Albus knew how insidious the Horcrux was. Ms. Chang was not a malicious person, this was so out of character. Albus tried not to think about that. So what was he to do now? How could he just let Harry roam about unsupervised? He'd meet with William and get his appraisal. Then he'd take steps to ensure the safety of the other students.

Fortunately, there was an unobtrusive painting in the Astronomy Tower. Albus had been given a report on Harry interacting with his friends and it had been positive. The feedback also made it clear that Harry is aware of the presence in his scar, but not that it is a Horcrux. The most concerning element for Albus was the way Harry had been unaffected by Ms. Chang's injuries, but perhaps that was to be expected. She had been especially cruel, and the boy was obviously tired of being everyone's favourite target.

Albus had tried to sneak a painting into the Chamber of Secrets, but the enchantments on the room made any painting go inert. Apparently, the Chamber took its name very seriously and guards its secrets. Once Fawkes figured out what he was doing, the Phoenix stopped taking him there. Albus was having small concerns about William. Was he too close to the boy? Did he have plans to increase his influence? Given the Horcrux's current strength, William's influence may be the best temporary option, but not permanently.

**-DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**The Chamber of Secrets**

**Midnight**

Bill sat in a large wingback chair in Harry's room. The red eyes had been bad. Even through his Patronus, Bill could feel the malice rolling off Harry. The boy had tired himself out casting the Patronus so many times. But it seemed to do the trick. At least temporarily. Bill had his Patronus over Harry while he slept. He would keep it up as long as he could. He took a break and had Fleur cast her mist directly on Harry while he practiced. Victor did the same with Hermione and she managed to form a reliable mist. Bill reflected on the fact that he may have found a better way to teach the Patronus charm. Cast it while another is present.

Tomorrow, he would talk to Dumbledore and calm him down. Bill had no doubt the old man was beside himself. There was no substitute for the Patronus, but he could at least make a Runic sequence that enhanced happy feelings. The down side would be that it could become addictive. Of course, so could the Patronus charm. Well, it beats letting Harry turn into Lord Voldemort Jr.

**-DoD—**

**Chamber of Secrets**

**Harry's Dreamscape**

Harry was in the dream vault with his mother again. She looked less vivid. Faded even. The room's walls were cracked and stained. The outer door seemed to be holding, but it was dented and looked damaged.

Harry's mum was holding him. "Harry, listen to what I am telling you. There is something in the castle that is affecting you! You _must_ get out. I am growing weaker by the day. The Patronus' you cast helped. I actually was able to repair some of the damage, but as long as you are in the castle, the evil presence will continue to grow stronger. Get out of the castle, practice your Patronus Charm as often as possible."

Harry repeated it back to her. She just held him. The longer she held him, the more vivid she became. The stronger the walls seemed. Even the door seemed to have fewer dents.

"Mum, what happened? I was doing so well. Then… I can't remember." Harry knew there was a small period of time that was no longer something he could recall.

"You were attacked, Harry. Keep practicing your occlumency and it will come back to you. Whoever it was somehow repaired the 'evil presence' and weakened me at the same time." She held him at arm's length and peered into his eyes. "Be very careful, Harry. There is an enemy near you."

"But who? Honestly, the whole school seems to be against me…"

"Don't let yourself _hate_ them, Harry. That makes the evil presence stronger. The other students are victims too." Seeing Harry get angry, she added. "They **will** regret their actions when the presence is removed."

Harry didn't soften on bit. "So I should just forgive and forget? Act like everything is fine?" No way was he doing that!

"Lily's incarnation smirked in a not so kind way. "If you have met any of my friends or teachers, you know I am the last person to discuss forgiveness. I have **always** been able to hold a grudge _for life_. But it can get pretty lonely when you hate everyone. Just don't let your anger define who you are. And if you do decide to forgive, do it on **your** terms, not theirs."

Harry talked with his Mum about the Ball. About Cho Chang's trick. He also talked about Katie and Bill. About Fleur and Viktor. He even talked about Hermione, and how confused about her he was. They both agreed Hermione was better as a good friend and not to let embarrassment get in the way of that. Lily's incarnation made a point to say she was proud of Harry for having the courage to tell Hermione. At least now he knows where he stands. She said she had a friend once who never talked to her about his true feelings. He also let his friends treat her badly. Then, when she paired up with James, that boy turned dark. He was a true coward.

Apparently, James never had the courage to talk openly or honestly about his own feelings until his seventh year. If he had been more honest and open, they would have had more time together. But, people mature at different speeds and at least they had a few good years. With that, she kissed Harry on the forehead and sent him away, before the evil presence returned. After all, Bill could only keep the Patronus active for so long…

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmasters Office**

**7AM**

Harry awoke early and shared as much as he could remember with Bill. There were really only two main points he could recall:

1\. He had to get out of the castle.

2\. He also had to work on casting the Patronus.

Bill said it would not be easy. He asked Harry how much he was comfortable sharing with Dumbledore. Bill thought he could talk a little about the protection, but keep Albus out of the Boy's head. It would be tricky, but there were very few options.

Harry's knowledge was already well beyond what any fourth year should know. Harry had grudgingly admitted that his mother had left behind a bit of her knowledge inside the protections. Bill shared that Dumbledore was worried that Voldemort had left his knowledge. In the end, Bill convinced Harry to let him run with what he could get away with, as long as it got him out of the castle. Bill knew he would eventually have to share with Harry the knowledge of the Horcrux, but not now. Soon. But only after they had it under control.

"William, I'm glad you went after Harry. Having him cast the Patronus charm repeatedly was brilliant. How can we be sure Harry's defences have recovered?" Albus was still very nervous about letting Harry roam about. Rumours were circulating about his red eyes. About Cho's prank and the fact that she was now in the infirmary. Katie Bell's contribution to that was ignored. On the bright side, at least no one seemed interested in attacking him. Severus shared that even he was nervous around the boy now and had advised all the Slytherins to keep their distance. Albus wondered, 'Why hadn't Severus done this sooner?' Albus knew he'd have to break Severus of his hatred of James Potter one day. All efforts to date have failed.

Bill answered Dumbledores question as best he could describe, "I could feel it. The Horcrux seemed to lose its steam with every casting. It even caused the scar to bleed a few times. I held a Patronus over him while he slept for as long as I could manage. When Harry awoke, we talked. He told me he had been attacked in the castle and the Horcrux had been 'energised' somehow. Apparently, the castle itself is now fuelling the Horcrux." Dumbledore looked sceptical.

"How can Harry know this? If he was attacked, why hasn't he reported it?"

Bill looked at Dumbledore in disbelief. "Are you bloody kidding me? He is attacked _every day_. You either do nothing about it or so little it's insulting. How can you honestly wonder why he thinks reporting an attack is a waste of time?" Dumbledore tried to speak, but Bill was becoming enraged. "Your stupid fucking assistant headmaster actually _punishes_ Harry when he is attacked. You are running the worst damn school…" He was yelling by the last word.

Albus Dumbledore simply cast a Patronus charm and waited.

Bill slowly calmed under its presence and leaned back. "Good, lord. I can feel it everywhere."

Dumbledore then ever so calmly said, "William, how do I punish good children who are only acting out because they have been influenced by the Horcrux? In much as your sister was. Most of the school would be in detention or expelled if I did that. Instead, I asked Fillius to help Harry shore up his defensive capabilities. In the long term, that will have far more benefit for the young man. To call attention to the problems affecting Harry would potentially draw the attention of the DoM." Dumbledore took a deep breath while his Patronus was cleansing the room of negative feelings. "Now that calmer heads can prevail, let me ask once more, how Harry knows his defences have recovered?"

Bill had calmed under the effects of the Patronus. Still, Dumbledore using Ginny in the argument was bad form. But he had made his point. Don't get distracted, strike while the window is open. "He has insight when he sleeps. His mother's protection communicates with him. Last night was the first night he had contact since Halloween." Seeing Dumbledores curious look, Bill added, "Really, how do you think he knows so much? The boy knew more about Runes in his first year than most curse-breakers. He may not have been able to carve worth a damn, but he knew them. Who do you think taught him French? For crying out loud, Albus, he understands Akkadian and Demotic writing. Do you even teach these subjects?" Bill saw Dumbledores eyes move from surprise to concern. He needed to head that off fast. "But, you know what makes me certain this is Lily's protection, and not Voldemort's influence? Harry always adds a little 'flip' to the end of his Runic sequences. I've seen Lilly's work. She is the only other witch or wizard I've ever met who did that. That and the spears he throws. I don't remember Voldemort doing anything with elemental spears."

Albus Dumbledore had gone pale. All these years he'd thought Harry was either a prodigy, or the Horcrux was taking over. His mother had passed on her knowledge somehow. He would have to review Harry's work against his mothers. Filius could probably help find the work. This raises so many questions.

After considering what he had heard, Albus asked, "What else?"

Bill knew he had to be careful, Dumbledore was 'fishing' for information. "Well, something or someone in the castle is weakening the protection and strengthening the Horcrux. Albus, I think it might be the curse on the DADA position. If I'm right, and I think I am, whoever attacked him a few months back somehow linked the DADA curse to Harry."

Albus looked a bit shocked. "When does he think this occurred?"

"October 30th. The night before the cup spit out his name."

Dumbledore nodded. "That fits. That fits perfectly with when the Horcrux seemed to come back into power." This means there is an interloper on the grounds. It could be anyone. Karkaroff was a prime suspect. Too much time had passed for Albus to question the paintings. It had been too long. And the only person Harry seemed to trust was Bill.

Bill was ready to begin pressing for what he and Harry wanted. His primary objective in this conversation, "Harry needs to get out of the castle. If the Horcrux is being powered by the curse on the DADA position, he can't stay here. He definitely can't _sleep_ here. I'm not strong enough to keep a Patronus active for eight hours straight."

"No. No, he must be removed from the castle, but still on the grounds. Perhaps he can stay at Hagrid's hut until we can build him a small dormitory of his own. Have you had any luck with Runic sequences to boost his protection?"

Bill shook his head. "No. It's too addictive. Harry would reach a point where he needed the runes to function normally. I can add a few mild ones to his bed for when he sleeps, but that's it." Bill thought for a moment. "I could move in with him, but I'd need help. Someone who can cast the Patronus charm and have a corporeal Patronus form. We could take his recovery in steps." Come on Dumbledore, bite! Bill and the two ex-marauders had planned this out.

Albus thought about it. "Yes. Yes, that would be wise." But who? It had to be someone he trusted. Someone loyal to HIM above all others. Even above Harry. "I had a DADA teacher here last year. Perhaps I could convince him to assist Hagrid with the grounds. Remus Lupin had a strong corporeal Patronus…"

Albus Dumbledore now grew very grim. "I must inform you, though... He is a werewolf." He looked at Bill in a condescending way. Like Bill was an overly emotional child and he hoped he hoped Bill would make the right choice.

Bill paused and pretended to consider this news. He already knew Remus and his infection. "I suppose it could work. As long as he goes elsewhere on the full moon."

Albus looked positively giddy! "There. I'll inform Harry's teachers that he has contracted a sickness and must be quarantined. Perhaps we can use that to convince everyone the red eyes were a part of the infection." Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling again.

Bill got up and left. He was exhausted after staying up all night and keeping a Corporeal Patronus around Harry. Keeping his occlumency shields up with no sleep was wearing on him.

Albus was not yet ready to allow Harry more time to study in Egypt with William. The more Albus considered it, the more certain he was that William knew more than he let on. News of the Horcrux caused genuine shock and dismay. Much of the rest seemed more like he was comparing notes. Getting Harry out of the Chamber would let Albus watch him closer. Albus knew Remus was a very intelligent man and his time with James and Sirius had made him quite cunning and observant. Without a doubt, Remus could help determine what William's full plans were.

**-DoD—**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next: the Second Task
> 
> One Question I have, would you readers rather have smaller 3-4K chapters that are posted more frequently, or larger chapters that are posted every couple of weeks?
> 
> Notes
> 
> More on Sirius and Bill's plans for January when Sirius was planning to make his move. He is timing it with a big ICW meeting. Catch Albus when he is being pulled in multiple directions. He might even try to create a bit of Drama at Hogwarts, just to throw the man off balance a bit. I always thought he was far too forgiving of Dumbledore in Canon. Now he is getting a little bit even. Marauder style. Well, if the Marauders had vicious lawyers…
> 
> Bill's hypothesis on the DADA curse is his best guess. All curse-breakers know about the DADA curse at Hogwarts. They also suspect it is a 'Voldemort' curse. If you don't know about the Diadem, it's a pretty good guess. But the truth is, the Diadem was powering the curse and it was synchronised with Harry's Horcrux.
> 
> I like Katie Bell, so I put a spotlight on her. No romance, though. She's just one of those people that bear Harry absolutely no animosity for the Horcrux to affect. It instead makes her feel depressed about letting her friend down and being a coward…
> 
> This chapter had a lot of summaries, but I don't really like using thousands of words for rather banal or simple activities. Just seems a little pointless. Who wants to read about Harry feeling embarrassed around Hermione or learning to dance? I had a good bit of ground to cover, so I'm summarising through most of the less pivotal points.
> 
> Albus is no dummy. He suspects Bill has independent plans, but has no idea what they are. He does not think Bill is trying to do anything to undermine him, just trying to get closer to Harry. Closer than Albus wants him to be. Albus thinks he is holding all the cards, though. Sirius knows how smart Albus is, which is why he is timing the 'shit storm' to occur at the best possible moment for Ted Tonks to make his moves. Now that Albus knows there is a traitor in the castle, he will be more vigilant than ever.


	17. Chapter 17

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fourth year will alternate between having 'summary' sections and detailed sections focusing more on where divergence from canon occurs. I do not want to re-tell what most readers already know, but I will spotlight where significant divergence occurs. I also want to cut back on the angst and advance the story. I find that stories with 300K+ words can be hard to get through. In this regard, summaries keep the word count under control. Year five will be a full split and this is where I would rather focus the detail.**

**Dumbledore has finally told Bill about the Horcrux and the fact that there are likely more. Bill knows Dumbledore is still keeping secrets, but he now has something to work with. Given all of Dumbledores secrets and how he is so possessive of Harry, Bill is eager to get Harry away from him.**

**Bill has been working with Sirius and Ted Tonks on ways to free Harry from Dumbledore's control. Bill has noticed many odd inconsistencies in how Dumbledore acquired guardianship and some of the unusual decisions made. He is also concerned about the growing strength of the animosity curse centered in Harry's scar. Use of a Corporeal Patronus dampened the effects, but only when in its presence. Also, the Horcrux's influence was somehow being projected throughout the castle. Bill assumed it was linked to the curse on the DADA and theorised that removing Harry from the castle would prevent the Horcrux from strengthening.**

**Harry was stood up by Cho and ended up spending the Yule Ball at the Astronomy Tower with his closest friends. Before he left, he showed signs that the Horcrux was beginning to affect him. Bill used multiple castings of the Patronus Charm to assist Harry in getting the Horcrux under control.**

**Currently, Harry is preparing to move into a small hastily constructed house on the edge of the school grounds to prevent the Horcrux from projecting throughout the castle and gaining in strength. In addition, Harry was trying to decipher the riddle in the egg. Bill wasn't allowed to help him and he is not having much luck.**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.**

**-DoD-**

**Hogwarts**

**Hagrid's Hut**

**January 5th, 1995**

Harry had enjoyed staying in Hagrid's hut. He would still have to attend classes, but he could relax and spend time outside more frequently. With most of the school on break, he didn't have to worry as much about being targeted or mocked. No sleeping in the Chamber of Secrets either, that gave him the creeps. He only needed a thick coat with a few warming charms and he was good to just enjoy the great outdoors. His only complaints were in how his scar affected Hagrid and the sleeping arrangement.

The Scar affected Hagrid's self-confidence badly. He tended to drink more and get depressed. Rita Skeeter printed a nasty article about him in the Daily Prophet, 'outing' him as a half giant. Harry had to spend hours consoling the poor man, but his cursed scar was countering his kind words. Harry felt that Hagrid would recover faster after he moved out. As for sleeping, Hagrid snored so loud the walls vibrated. Harry ended up casting a silencing spell on his pillow, but he hated the idea of not hearing anything. Harry's fears over being attacked had resulted in his being a light sleeper, and not hearing anything just seemed dangerous. On the positive side, his new 'house' was nearly complete.

It would be a two room set up near Hagrid's hut. Nothing fancy, just a place for three beds plus Dobby's bunk bed and a kitchen area. Harry would alternate between bunking with Remus and with Bill. They were planning to stay nocturnal and use their Patronus on Harry while he slept. He could even dream about his mother and occasionally enter his 'dream training' when he slept under a Patronus. Harry would move into the house once the classes resumed.

Bill had visited and stayed with Hagrid and Harry the last weekend before Harry was to move into the new accommodations. Bill had Harry repeatedly cast the Patronus charm until he was exhausted. Harry was in a great deal of pain from the scar's reaction to his Patronus casting, even though he had only managed a weak mist. Still, it was helping. The Patronus casting and sleeping underneath Bill's Owl Patronus allowed him to re-connect with his Mother's incarnation.

**Hagrid's Hut**

**Harry's Dreamscape**

**Late at Night**

Harry was able to access his dream scape and slowly became aware that he was in his 'dream-vault'. The last time he had visited, the vault looked like it was barely holding itself together. Thankfully, it looked much better now. The cracks in the walls has been repaired and were now sound and solid. The stains and signs of intrusion had been removed and painted over. The Door to the vault had been re-enforced and strengthened.

Harry's mum looked over at him and smiled. She appeared vivid and whole. Far less 'faded' than the last time he had seen her. She walked over and took him in her arms. As they held each other, Harry realised how much he had missed this.

"Hello, Harry. It is so good to see you again." After a moment, they broke apart. "I've recovered the vault of your dreamscape. As long as you can remain out of the castle, I can continue reinforcing the room."

"It looks better. Will you be able to reverse the rest of the damage? Can you get us back into the rest of the house?"

She looked distracted for a moment. "I don't know, Harry. Keep practicing the Patronus. Do NOT enter the castle again. No matter what!" The last bit she said forcefully. She meant it.

"But, my classes? What if I need to meet with Dumbledore?" Harry didn't know if he could stay out of the castle _forever_. He thought moving out was temporary.

"Find a neutral point. Maybe in the area around Hagrid's hut. But don't go back in. Harry, believe me when I say you were almost lost!" Pausing a moment, she added, "I know I fought you on it, but telling Bill Weasley was the best thing you could have done."

Harry just nodded. "Will I be able to come back here without the aid of someone casting a Patronus on me?"

"Eventually, but it will take time. Stay out of the castle, continue casting the Patronus charm each night, practice your Occlumency, and try not to focus on negative feelings. Focusing on positive feelings seems to weaken IT. I suspect that's why it went after Hermione and Ron so viciously."

"Well, Hermione and I are fine. Just friends though. Ron is dead to me, I never want to see him again. Fortunately, Bill can resist IT."

"Harry, let go of the anger and hatred. Those emotions only feeds IT. Focus on your true friends, without fixating on those who let you down." Harry nodded, but he was nowhere near ready to forgive and forget. He just didn't want to waste any of this special time talking about Ron.

Harry wanted to discuss something that had been bothering him all year, "Mum, I have a question for you… Why can't I shift into an owl form? My eyes shifted when I was a child. I even have the hearing and the perception…"

"The Potters were always masters of transfiguration and had a quite easy time finding and attaining their Animagus forms. But that first change is very hard. It is like casting your first Corporeal Patronus. That first time is the hardest, then your magic tends to remember how it works…" Lily's incarnation then gave him a mirthful smirk. "Of course, I never found my Animagus form, so I am just telling you what was told to me. Your father had the hands on knowledge. Truthfully, without taking the potion, it is near impossible for most Wizards or Witches to achieve an Animagus form. Like being a Parseltongue, you must be born with it. If not, the potion helps you get there."

Harry just looked at her for a moment. "What potion? Is it something that I could take?"

"The potion was created to mirror the abilities of a natural Animagus. Like how the Polyjuice potion mimics a Metamorphmagus' form. When James' father found out he had used the potion, he was furious. It essentially locked him into the form that best fit him as a fifteen year old. A true Animagus can learn to assume more than one form if it fits them. Most never achieve more than one, although a few can learn two or three if they are talented enough. Charlus believed James could have achieved two or possibly even three forms had he gone about it the right way…"

"So, was dad mad? That he used the potion?"

"No, Harry. Your father knew Remus needed him. For all his faults as a young man, he was surprisingly loyal and generous with his friends."

"So, what is the process? There are no real books on becoming an Animagus…"

"No, and there won't be. It is an illegal skill to train without supervision and registration. The potion is just the part of the process that speeds up the identification of the animal you share the most traits with and it aids in the first transformation. Your father achieved his transformation in far less time than Peter or Sirius because he was a natural Animagus. Had James not used the potion, it would have taken at least twice as long."

Harry nodded. The message was clear – avoid the potion. "So Dad lost the ability to assume a second or possibly a third animal form."

"Yes, but there is more. A natural Animagus is like a natural Metamorph. Undetectable. Using the potion works, but it is not perfect. And you can never use the potion and have more than one form. Once you use the potion, you are what can be called an 'induced' Animagus. There are charms that can reverse the transformation and force the Animagus into human form – **if** they used the potion. There are also wards to prevent the transformation of an 'induced' Animagus.

If an Animagus is transformed the natural way, without the potion, they could resist the charm that forces them into human form and there is no known ward or charm that can prevent the transformation. Just like there is no way to keep a Parselmouth from understanding snakes. It is a part of who you are. And, apparently, being an Animagus is also a natural part of who **you** are, Harry. How else could you have started the process when you were so very young?" The last part was said with exuberant pride.

Harry ran his hand through his hair. "I still don't completely understand the difference, but I do see the limitations."

"Ok, think of it this way, Harry. If induced with the use of the potion, the Animagus changes from his natural form to an animal form. But he or she is really a human. To a 'natural' Animagus, his animal forms include the human form. Had your father never used the potion and transformed the natural way, the stag would not just reflect his human form, his human form would reflect the stag form. If he had eventually found a different form, it would be like changing jackets. Just one more layer of the onion…"

"Ah. But really, maybe one form is enough. And it sounds like even natural Animagus probably only ever learn one form. So why bother with the long way?"

"Well, I've never heard of an induced Animagus partially transforming. Like you do with your eyes. It is just natural to you. An induced Animagus could never do that."

Harry thought about that, then realised he had been forced out of a partial transformation. "When I first came to Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall reversed the partial transformation around my eyes. I thought that wasn't possible if I was 'natural'."

Lily's incarnation just smiled. "Harry, you were eleven. You actually _wanted_ your eyes to transform back so your reading vision would improve. She just helped you with what you were trying to do."

"So, why would anyone ever use the potion?"

"To become an Animagus, silly. Harry, being a 'natural' Animagus is a magical talent that runs in very few families. It is only slightly less rare than being a Parselmouth. And it is a very handy skill to have, it just lacks a few perks that the natural Animagus enjoys."

Harry loved discussing magic. "If a natural Metamorphmagus used the Polyjuice potion, would that impair them from using their ability?"

Lily's incarnation thought for a moment, then answered, "Probably not permanently. But until the potion wore off, it would probably lock them into that form. Remember, the Polyjuice potion does not confer a _permanent_ effect like the Animagus potion gives. It would be an interesting experiment to see what it would do, though. We'll have to ask a Metamorph if we meet one." She was really enjoying this. Harry realised his mum really loved academic problems and puzzles. Similar to Hermione, but less pushy.

Harry smiled. He loved discussing magic with his mum. "Last question. Is it a metamorph or a Metamorphmagus?"

Lily's incarnation grinned mischievously. "Yes. Either. The long name is technically correct, the shorter one is easier to say and everyone knows what it is when used in the correct context. Like saying Automobile or Auto. Well, maybe 'Car' is the best name."

They goofed around until the room lights started flashing. Lily said, "My early alert. Bill's Patronus is wavering. For now, don't attempt a transformation. Just read up on owls. Behaviour, Anatomy, predator, and prey. Just research. It will help. Off you go, Harry. Hopefully, we can talk soon." She hugged him and kissed his forehead.

And Harry was now back in his bed. It had been a good night. His memory would soon fog up like it does with all dreams, but he felt much more emotionally 'balanced'. He took out a sheet of paper and wrote down what he could remember. After that, he realised felt good. Happy. Harry just rolled over and closed his eyes under the soft glow of Bill's Patronus. He thanked god every day that he met Bill all those years ago in Diagon Alley.

When Harry woke up, he reached over to review his notes. It had been a spur of the moment decision to write down the important points so he wouldn't forget them. Harry knew he had gone to his Dreamscape and covered a lot of useful information. He eagerly reviewed his notes:

1\. Keep your feet out of Hogwarts.

2\. Focus on Happy thoughts.

3\. Keep Practicing the Patronus.

4\. Metamorphmagus is a funny name.

5\. Study owls.

6\. Don't use the Potion.

'What the hell? Is this it?' Harry looked around to see if there was more information somewhere… Nope. The metamorph point seemed odd. Why was that important? Avoid a potion… but which potion was he was supposed to avoid. Keep my feet out of Hogwarts. Harry assumed that meant just stay away, not actually keeping his feet out. Happy thoughts… hmmm. Study Owls – must be in relation to the Animagus transformation he had been expecting soon. Patronus practice was a given, it wore him out, but it was worth it. It was like he was casting through a rock, but the results were there. Something was missing, but at least two out of six seemed to make sense. The rest may make sense later if he thinks about it.

Bill looked over. "Harry, everything alright?"

"I'm looking at my notes from last night. It doesn't all make sense."

Bill chuckled. "You woke up and seemed driven to write something down. Sometimes, when we sleep in or near a tomb, dreams have meaning. Keep taking notes, it gets better. Just remember to 'over detail'. When you first wake up, everything is fresh, but you write in a series of random thoughts. It improves with practice. Is this from your mother's protection?"

"Yeah, but I can't remember it very well." Harry handed Bill the list.

Bill read the list. "Hmmm. Stay out of the castle because it is weakening your defences. Use positive emotions to combat the negative feedback. That kind of what a Patronus does, actually. More Patronus work. Glad that seems to be working, at least something good came from that night." Bill concentrated, then shook his head. "No idea about the rest. The Metamorphmagus concerns me a lot. That is one dangerous magical talent. Do you think it is referring to an actual person? I know of one metamorph who was friends with Charlie."

"I really don't remember, Bill. Hey, is it Metamorphmagus or metamorph? Seems like I hear it either way."

Bill casually answered, "The full name is Metamorphmagus, but it can be shortened to Metamorph or abbreviated to MMorph." He seemed to be a bit nervous about that. "Metamorphs are nothing to take lightly, Harry. Let me know if you remember anything else. This could be serious." Bill looked genuinely rattled by the idea that Harry was dreaming about Metamorphs.

"Sure thing, Bill."

"I wonder if the potion factors in. Polyjuice? Maybe?" Seeing no recognition, "Just be careful, Harry. Metamorph mages tend to be assassins or spies. Damn near impossible to detect."

"Was the one Charlie knew an assassin?"

"No, she went the Auror route." Bill still seemed to be lost in thought. "Rumor has it, Metamorphism is a Black family trait. We should visit London and meet up with Sirius. He might be able to shed some light on what this could be. Oh, bring the egg too. If you haven't figured it out, Sirius might be able to help. I'm not allowed."

Harry grinned and asked, "Is 'Metamorphism' a real word?"

Bill laughed out loud at that. "Stop."

— **DoD—**

**12 Grimmauld Place**

**January 7, 1995**

**Saturday**

Remus Lupin and Sirius Black looked a bit perplexed. They had just heard the horrific sounds coming from the golden egg Harry had retrieved in the first task. Remus appeared to be in a bit of pain as well, likely due to his sensitive hearing.

Sirius laughed a bit and shook his head, "Merlin's sack! That was awful. You really should have given us a bit more notice." Straightening up and laughing a bit, he added, "Hey, maybe we can set that beside the lovely portrait of dear old Walburga. My loving mother. Drown the bitch out."

Remus seemed lost in thought for a moment. "Drown her out. Maybe…" Snapping out of his thoughts, he looked directly and Harry. "Harry, have you listened to the egg under water?"

Perplexed, Harry shook his head and answered, "No, sir. I didn't even think of that."

Remus nodded, looking more confident, "Supposedly, Merpeople sound horrific above the water. Sirius, do you have a tub or deep container we could put this in?"

Sirius just scowled and yelled out, "Kreacher!"

A horrible looking house elf appeared. "What does filthy Master want?"

"Silence! I need a tub at least three feet deep. Go find it." Sirius was in no way kind or humorous. Harry was surprised at just how harsh Sirius was. That house elf was nothing like Dobby. He was horrible and pathetic all at the same time. That's a discussion for another day.

Sirius looked at Bill and Harry. "While Kreacher is searching for a tub, this is a good time to review the legal plans for 'Operation Prongslet'."

Harry didn't remember his quest to gain freedom having a project name, but that worked. "Sure."

They all sat around the kitchen table. Sirius kicked it off.

"Ok, so the Black family lawyers are locked and loaded, ready to strike. They now have all they need to inflict maximum damage and, more importantly, epic levels of chaos. A few of the 'darker' families will be unaffected, but most will be found in violation of some ridiculous treaty or agreement. The British Malfoy, Lestrange, Nott, and Selwyn families will be hit the hardest. They'll have the greatest reparations. Especially the Malfoy family. The Black Lawyers confirmed my suspicions that they have been making promises and deals against the Black holdings for years. Apparently, they firmly believed Draco to be the Black Heir. When the suits get filed, they will likely have to sell off a few assets. Assets the Black family is ready to buy up through holding companies. Let me tell you, pup, those Black lawyers are pure evil geniuses."

"But, can't they just tie it up in court with their own lawyers? Also, now that I have been publicly identified as the Black Heir, does that hurt the case?" Harry asked, but had no idea how wizarding or Muggle law really worked. This all just seemed too easy.

Sirius had a real twinkle in his eye as he elaborated, "Nope. Well, mixed bag really. The business dealings can be tied up in court, but the financial backing will be blocked. Most contracted payments appear to have been deferred until Draco reaches the age of maturity, which is 17 in the Black family. That means, the Malfoy family will have to cover the payments with the interest accrued. That's the easy part."

Harry was smiling now. He could only imagine how insanely angry the Malfoys would be.

Sirius continued, "Over the years, after Arcturus died, Lucius was able to liquidate a few Black family assets somehow. He did that through various shady deals and my lawyers will be fighting to get back every knut, but it will take time." Sirius smiled and added, "Fortunately, he did not sell any of the 'prime' assets held by the Black family. They were either too well protected or he was saving them for Draco. So, these are the areas that are pure legal and bureaucrat laden mumbo-jumbo. Repayment is in question and will be a prolonged battle. I'll let the lawyers worry about that and set my sights on the prize. And Harry, you going public as the Black Heir only made Lucius stop. The damage is done."

"What about the Allowance you had mentioned?" Harry really wanted this to be personal. Like that damn Badge Draco had handed out.

Sirius laughed loudly and intensely, "You have a mean streak, pup! I like it! At the end of every month, Draco and Narcissa get their stipend. A very generous one at that. Very soon, the stipend will end. I had wanted to end it now, but I didn't want to give away my hand. The Malfoy family is rich so the impact will be minor, but it will require Lucius to pay for their way of life. I imagine both of them have no concept of money or budgeting. Still, over a decade of reimbursement of money paid will hurt."

Harry nodded, "No more money. Big payback. Love it."

Sirius continued, "Like I told you before, Lucius violated the marriage agreement when he took the mark and fought against me, the Black Heir. That means he owes the Black family the Dowry and all Stipends paid since inception, with penalties and interest. Now **that** will make a sizable dent in his Vault. The British branch of the Lestrange family will be held accountable as well. Add in that both failed to assist me while in Azkaban and Lucius even appeared to work at keeping me locked up… The Malfoys are now 'Oath Breakers'. That title alone will smear their name for generations. There is even a chance of getting a case of attempted 'Line Theft' to stick."

Harry had heard most of this in his last visit, but it was no longer just theory and speculation. "Can't they just say 'no' to the repayments and fines?"

Sirius smiled, "Nope. We covered this last time. I really need to get your some tutoring, pup. Andromeda will be good for you." Sirius was serious, but only for a moment. Harry knew he had a lot to learn. "The oaths and magic contracts will affect their personal and family magic if it is ignored. Arcturus may have been a rotten bastard, but he was a _shrewd_ rotten bastard. All family agreements, alliances, and contracts he presided over were magical in nature."

Now Bill added, "Meaning they will lose a significant part of their magical abilities. To a wizard or witch, especially a pure blooded one, that is a horrific turn of events. These families will pay up. They may not like it, but they won't make the mistake of damaging their own magic."

Harry thought about this, "How were they able to break the contracts to begin with?"

Remus now added his two cents, "No one objected. The last Heir to the Black family was in prison and until he chose you, Harry, Sirius Black, the newly minted Lord and head of the Ancient and Most Noble house of Black, had no heir himself."

Harry began to realise just how corrupt the ministry was. "That's why you have a 'Kiss on Sight' order. Your presence interferes with their income. Those _Bloody_ bastards!"

Sirius smiled in a predatory manner, "According to my lawyers, Lucius had apparently planned to fund a few of Fudge's private little 'charities'. Charities that Fudge would head and manage when he retired. With Black family money."

Harry was furious. "Oh my god Sirius, you had twelve years of hell in Azkaban, just so Lucius Malfoy and Fudge could pad their wallets!" He didn't need to mention that Dumbledore also let him rot… "So, when do you start the process?"

Sirius took a deep breath. "Well, that's where it gets tricky. You see, all of this is for nothing if I can't get **you** free."

Bill cleared his throat. "So, Ted apparently hit a snag. The most damning failures Dumbledore has made in your care is in the Wizarding Orphans Department. Ted can request everything he needs, but when he does, the magical guardian will be notified. Harry, your magical guardian, Dumbledore, would have the right to withhold any documentation he saw fit not to share. We could try to get the information through litigation, but he's also in a position to block that. Or at least delay it until he can get his documentation in order. We could move forward, but without the proof of Dumbledore's failure to document and protect… your case would be compromised. It is likely he would be fined and given a warning."

"Shite!" Harry couldn't believe his luck. Maybe something else could be done. Maybe Dumbledore could be… removed.

Bill cast a Patronus Charm. His huge eagle owl landed on Harry's shoulder. Everyone was looking nervous. Harry slowly calmed down.

Bill looked very serious, "You need to control your anger, Harry. Deep breaths." He didn't see any point in telling Harry that his eyes started glowing again. That there was a red point in the middle of each eye where the pupil was.

Harry practiced his occlumency exercises until he was calm. "Alright. So what can we do?"

Sirius clapped his hands together. "Well, for starters, we wait until Albus is so distracted he ignores his mail. I remember the man well from the Order of the Phoenix, he is at best disorganised where his office is concerned. I've seen mail stack up on the man for days. I used to admire his maverick tendencies… Best case, we wait until he is distracted and travelling on ICW business. A time when he has so many problems popping up, he can't focus on something as unimportant as owl mail. First I launch my legal attacks, then Ted slides in and requests the documents. Albus will have three days to block the forms. We request them on a Friday just before the office closes, which makes it near impossible that the letter will go out Friday. Then, assuming we time it right, Albus will be international. That is at least a 24 hour delay, assuming he has a 'Banishing Box', which I really don't think he does." Thinking a moment and looking at Remus, Sirius amended that statement, "Actually, he might for Ministry mail… Then, we only would have to distract him for one day. At which point Ted can re-apply for the records."

Taking a deep breath and smiling, Sirius continued, "So, I make sure to kick up so much political and ministerial dust he can't think straight. I'll also be bringing legal action against the ministry where Dumbledore is named as a person of interest. As a member of an Ancient and Most Noble family, the ministry was required to give me a trial. I'll be going after the current administration as well as the previous one. Factor in that I was the **Heir** of an Ancient and Most Noble family and you have a very serious crime. Or In my case, a Sirius crime." He took a moment to laugh at his own joke. "I think I might try and bankrupt Fudge, Dumbledore, Bagnold, Crouch, and anyone else that has ever annoyed me from the ministry. HAHAHAHA."

Harry really understood the humorous side of his godfather. Now he was seeing a different side as well. Yes, Sirius had a malicious and vindictive streak, but who would blame him? Over a decade in Azkaban…

This delay wasn't what Harry wanted, but it was better than nothing. He could wait a few more months if needed. "So, we wait."

All the men in the room nodded.

Harry thought for a moment. "Wait a moment. Maybe I can get a house elf to lift the mail from his office. Then he won't even know he has it. That way, Ted can review the documents thoroughly before acting on them." Bill looked impressed, Sirius broke into applause and Remus looked stunned.

Sirius laughed again. "Definitely the Prongslet! We'll make a Marauder out of you yet! James would be so proud. You are a chip off the old block!" And he proceeded to put Harry in a bear hug.

Sirius added, "Now, the down side. I have to leave Britain. There are a few Black holdings in Switzerland. My lawyers are setting up shop and arranging for me to request asylum. Once there, I can act publicly. But I can't return to Britain until everything is worked out. I've already re-instated Andromeda and Nymphadora and given them a nice stipend. Andromeda also has been given the Dowry she should have had… They will contact you for me when the Hell breaks loose."

Harry was now concerned. "Will it be safe? Surely the Malfoys will be gunning for you."

Sirius looked touched. "Very safe. My home will be heavily warded. Like most of the Black Properties, and I'll have an ICW approved trial. With Veritaserum! Fudge will be internationally embarrassed. Especially when my lawyers began distributing the evidence of corruption and conspiracy to keep me in Azkaban for personal gain…"

Harry smiled, but was nervous. "Just promise me you will be careful! Please… don't take chances."

"Marauder's honour, pup. Once it's safe, I'll come back."

They group then covered other topics. The only Metamorphmagus Sirius knew of was Andromeda Tonk's daughter, Nymphadora. She was the one Bill had mentioned. Lycoris Black had been one, but passed away in the service of Grindelwald. In Sirius' own words, 'Good riddance'. Harry noted the Sirius seemed far less squeamish about it than Bill had.

Maybe assassins and spies are just normal dinner conversation in the Black house. Harry showed Sirius the note he wrote after his dream, but he didn't seem concerned. He just said, "Don't worry, Pup. We all dreamed about Metamorphmagus' at your age. Some of us still do… Want an introduction?" and wiggling his eyebrows. Harry only had one silent thought about that: 'Ewwww'.

Kreacher had brought in a tub earlier and set it in the corner. They used a simple ' _Augamenti'_ charm to fill it with water. Once full, he placed the egg in the water and opened it. Harry stuck one ear under the water and heard the riddle:

_Come and seek us where our voices sound,_

_We cannot sing above the ground,_

_And while you're searching, ponder this:_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we took,_

_But past an hour – the prospects black,_

_Too late, it's gone, and won't come back."_

Sirius and Remus listened as well and they decided it had to be something in the lake. Apparently, the lake is full of merfolk and other creatures. Remus gave him the name of a charm called the 'bubblehead charm'. The wand movement was simple and the incantation was ' _Bulla Capitis!_ ' Sirius told him to use warming charms and practice swimming.

But what he have to retrieve? After a bit of thought, he decided it had to be his father's cloak. The picture album was a possibility also… The four of them finished dinner (Chinese takeout) and Bill took Harry back to Hogwarts. A couple more nights in Hagrid's hut, then Harry would be in a similar house with Remus and Bill. Onward and upward.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Hagrid's Hut**

**Sunday Morning**

**January 8th**

Harry had been practicing the Bubblehead charm Remus had shown him, ' _Bulla Capitis!_ ' The trick was keeping it up under pressure and making it resilient enough to withstand contact with objects without popping or breaking up. Harry expected to have it mastered well enough within a day for shallow dives, as long as he practiced it continuously. Within two weeks' time, he should be able to maintain it under the pressure of the lake for at least an hour. Hagrid was out, so it was just Harry and Bill. Remus would show up on Tuesday.

Bill approached him as he was practicing. "Got a minute, Harry?" Bill looked nervous. He had summoned his Patronus as he frequently did when it was just the two of them.

"Sure, Bill. What's up?"

"I wanted to discuss your scar with you. You know we talked about the animosity curse and how it seems to be centered on your scar… How it turns people against you. Well I think it is more than that. Actually, I'm, sure of it." Bill sat and stared at the wall. Harry realised this couldn't be good.

After an uncomfortable moment where Bill started to speak but kept stopping. Looking of the words… Harry was getting scared.

"Bill, just spit it out. How bad is it?"

"It looks like the curse is actually a… piece of Voldemort. Like a tiny splinter of him got imbedded in your forehead when he was destroyed thirteen years ago." Bill was looking at Harry now. Directly. Harry could see how upset he was.

"So, I have a small piece of him stuck… well, that kind of fits, right? I mean, it hates me, but it doesn't want to kill me. It even let me cast the Patronus Charm to keep from dying. It wants to 'punish' me, I think." Harry was surprised at just how 'unsurprised' he was. Maybe he had 'dreamed' about it. Still, not what you want to hear. A part of the man who killed his parents is in his head.

Bill looked at Harry and saw him deflate. But at least he didn't freak out like most people would. "Look Harry, this is kind of my 'stock in trade'. Curses and such. After this damn tournament, we'll get you away from Dumbledore and travel to a few areas with renowned healers and mystics. Tibet, Peru, the Navajo nation… Just don't give up hope. Nothing really changes, but we now understand it better."

Harry had a sudden thought, "Why is it stronger now? It was almost gone at the beginning of the year…"

Bill went into work mode, "Well, near as I can tell, whoever ambushed you the night before Halloween somehow _linked_ IT to the curse on the DADA position. That curse is kind of legendary among curse breakers, because it keeps coming back. Voldemort cast it years ago and no one has been able to permanently remove it. I suspect it is somehow feeding the soul splinter with Voldemort's own magic. That's why we had to get you out of the castle."

Harry nodded. Suddenly, he couldn't concentrate. This was all so stunning. So stunning and so _unsurprising_. "Wait a minute, does anyone else know?" Now he was getting a little scared.

Bill nodded and softly said, "Dumbledore knows. But that's it."

"Shite! No wonder he wants to control me! He's probably scared I'll go dark!"

Bill just looked at Harry and gave a short nod. "Harry, on two separate occasions, your eyes glowed with red dots in the centre. This means you have been somewhat affected by the scar. You need to be very careful not to give in to negative emotions." Bill intentionally avoided calling it a Horcrux. Keep it vague.

"Happy thoughts, right? Like the bullet from my dream notes." Harry realised he knew more when he dreamed than when he was awake.

"Yeah, Harry. Sounds about right. Keeping yourself calm and casting a Patronus charm seems to help significantly. And remember, somewhere in this castle, there is a person that attacked you. Don't let your guard down."

"What else can I do about this?"

"Focus on casting the bubble head charm. ' _Bulla Capitis!'_ you get through the tournament and I'll use the restricted section to look for ways to extract that nasty little shard. Every night – Patronus Charm, Occlumency, and focusing on people you care about."

That night, Harry wasn't able to reach his Dreamscape or the comfort of his mother. His occlumency had been crap and he made only decent progress casting ' _Bulla Capiti'._ He slept fitfully and woke up the next morning to Hagrid making bacon and eggs. Well, something good was coming his way. Hagrid discussed the return of the students later that afternoon and how the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students would be returning back as well. Harry decided to review his tactics books and make sure he was not caught in any ambushes.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**The Great Lake aka The Black Lake**

**Monday Late Morning**

**January 9, 1995**

Harry had sufficiently mastered the 'Bubblehead' charm the day before well enough to allow for shallow dives and swimming. Bill very firmly directed Harry to spend the next 3-4 hours practicing the bubblehead charm, the warming charm, and his swimming in the lake. He was most emphatic that Harry should not return until he was competent. Certainly not before lunch.

Harry had never actually done much swimming, so it was new. Quite frankly, he stunk at it. Harry was far too lean to be buoyant and all he knew was the 'dog paddle'. If it hadn't been for the bubblehead charm, he probably would have drowned. Dobby had told him to pretend to be a fish, but that seemed crazy. Like telling a fish to walk around on dry land by pretending to be a human. Pipsey just told Harry to stay warm and clean… Well, ok. On the bright side, he had almost two months to learn how to swim…

Harry finally gave up on swimming and went to check on the new house. Yeah, Bill told him to stay at the lake practicing for at least three hours, but Harry was exhausted. Swimming was unbelievably tiring when you don't know what you're doing. The new hut was built, he just needed to move his stuff into it.

As Harry approached the new building, he saw slight silhouette of movement inside through the curtains. After being continuously ambushed and cursed for the first four months of the school year, Harry was rather paranoid. A quick 'Hominum Revelio' scan showed two individuals inside. Harry quietly approached the window and shifted his hearing to that of an owl. He heard heavy breathing and _intense_ activity. After a moment of confusion, he suddenly understood what he was hearing and backed away quickly. At some point, the Beauxbaton students must have returned. Bill and Fleur apparently needed a little 'private time'. How in the hell was he going to sleep in the new hut now?

Harry decided to just walk the lake. The castle was beautiful and so few people were here. That would end in a few hours as people returned. Then there would be a feast, but he'd skip it. Apparently, his eyes were glowing red after Cho pulled her little trick and everyone now thinks he has some kind of infectious disease. Hopefully, that would keep folks away. Harry sat down on a dry patch of earth and just relaxed with a warming charm. He savoured the quiet. The calm before the storm that would come when hundreds of his peers were running about.

Professor Flitwick agreed to allow him independent study and would check in occasionally. McGonagall offered, but Harry had declined. He would also send his assignments in for Runes and Arithmancy through Hermione. She didn't mind as Harry was far more advanced in Runes, but she was gaining ground. Hermione was one competitive witch. Harry was also learning a bit about curse breaking from Bill and hoped to sit for his Journeyman test along with his NEWTs. Now that Harry was no longer sitting in Runes and Arithmancy, Hagrid agreed to let him audit Care of Magical Creatures. He'd missed too many classes for a grade, but Harry liked the fresh air and working with some of the animals. Not those insane Blast-end Skrewt, but the rest were OK.

After a few relaxing hours, he had lunch with Dobby and Pipsey. They talked about swimming and how his mum was great at it, but his father was not. Eventually, Harry went back to the new hut. Bill and Fleur were there decorating the small hut. And they were only decorating, thank god. After a while, Pipsey and Dobby came to lend a hand and moved Harry and Dobby's things in. Fleur looked oddly at Dobby's tiny bed, but didn't say anything. Eventually, Pipsey brought food in and they had a small feast away from the large welcome back feast at the school.

After Fleur left, Bill got a funny look. "Sooo, Harry. I noticed you couldn't look directly at Fleur without blushing. What gives?"

"Oh, No. She didn't notice, did she?" Harry sounded near panicked.

"No… but why the change?" Bill wondered if Harry's immunity to the Allure had changed. And yes, Fleur had definitely noticed.

"Well, after I went swimming for a while, I came back early. I... kind of heard you guys." Now it was Bill's turn to look horrified.

Harry continued, "Just tell me how long you need me to make myself scarce. I don't mind." He now couldn't make eye contact with Bill.

Bill spoke up, "Right! OK. Will do." Changing the subject, he said, "Let's practice that ' _Bulla Capiti'_ charm some more.

Pipsey just shook her head and tutted away. She muttered something like "Master Weasley needs to be more careful…" Harry burst out laughing. Bill threw a biscuit at him. Dobby had no clue.

**Hogwarts**

**Care of Magical Creatures**

**Third Years – Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.**

Harry volunteered to help Hagrid with his third year class. Harry greatly preferred this to the Blast-end Skrewt the fourth and fifth years were dealing with. Ginny came over and gave him a hug. Harry only flinched a little. She had Luna Lovegood with her. Apparently, they both preferred this class to Arithmancy.

Ginny beamed, "Hi Harry! I'm so glad to see you. Since you were quarantined, no one knows where you are." Stepping back a bit she asked, "Are you still contagious?"

Harry gave a sheepish grin and said, "No, not really. But I think it best if I avoid the castle. You know, not having a house makes it kind of unpleasant."

Ginny looked embarrassed. "You know, Dad and mum both lit into Ron and the twins. I still can't believe they did that."

"Yeah. Well, they can get along just fine without me." Harry knew it came out a bit darker than he intended. Happy-thoughts, happy-thoughts, happy-thoughts. "How was your holiday?"

"It was fine. Oh, thanks for the bracelet. Did you get my sweets?"

Harry almost forgot. He picked out a few gifts in Diagon Alley when he was last at Gringotts. Before the Ball. "Yeah, Ginny! They were amazing. Where did you find them? I need to thank your mum for the treacle tart and the new quills."

"Thanks, I'm glad you liked them. I actually baked them myself. Mum showed me how." She was blushing now.

Luna took that moment to speak up. "Hello, Harry. I got the gloves and boots you set to me. They seemed to have a curious feeling when I touched them. I think I will enjoy them tremendously."

"Yeah, well… if anyone else touches them, they come with a nice curse. Straight from the Black family." Harry had enjoyed creating those curses with Sirius. He had noticed Luna walking around barefooted or missing key articles of clothing. After what Cho did to him, he suspected theft. Whoever touched her boots now will be in for a nasty surprise. First a nasty jolt, then, in approximately 24 hours, they would lose their hair. The curse was resistant to magical re-growth, so they'd have to grow it back the old fashioned way. Slowly.

He and Ginny made plans to go flying later in the week. She also asked for help with Runes, so he invited her over. As an afterthought, he invited Luna as well. If Hermione and Neville wanted to visit, he would have his new friend group set.

As the class broke up, Ginny hugged him goodbye again. Only this time, she gave him a small peck on the cheek. Now it was Harry's turn to Blush. At thirteen, she was pretty. Harry thought about it and decided they were both too young to be more than friends. But friends were good. He found himself looking forward to the next third year Care of Magical Creatures class.

The next few weeks had Harry struggling to learn how to swim. He slowly improved, but had a long way to go. No way could he swim all the way to the centre of the lake without giving out of gas. Victor Krum had taken to swimming with Harry a bit, but he was good at it. Dobby kept up his words of encouragement. Harry needed to focus. Maybe he could just drop to the bottom and walk… After an attempt there, he realized there was too much vegetation. He'd have to swim it.

He started spending more and more time with Ginny. Luna frequently came by as well. Hermione and Neville studied in the hut twice a week. Ginny and Luna frequently joined them. Harry noticed that Luna still had her boots and gloves. Ginny told him that a few Ravenclaw girls had lost all their hair, even their eye-brows! Good, serves them right.

Katie came around the hut a few times, just to say hi and check on him. She was nice, and he hadn't forgot the way she had pummelled Cho. They talked Quidditch a while. Harry's scar flared up and she seemed suddenly meek. Apologetic for not doing more. No matter how much he assured her, she just stayed miserable. Crap. Neville had a similar reaction. Supportive and apologetic. At least Neville had gotten a new wand and his Gran's respect out of it.

Ron and the twins avoided Harry, likely on orders from their parents. Not being in the castle helped. Luna tried to give Harry a note from Cho, but he refused to read it and threw it into the fire. Luna said that was probably for the best. Cedric tried to do the same later. It was an uncomfortable conversation, but Harry refused the letter. His scar flared up a bit and Cedric made a few nasty comments. No loss. Harry couldn't believe he ever looked up to the boy.

Professor Flitwick had worked with him twice a week. The duelling exercises had helped Harry's balance tremendously. He was quick and accurate. According to the small teacher, Harry was a 'Natural Duellist'. Bill gave him plenty of reading material on Curse breaking and Rune carving assignments. All good. Harry even practiced potions a bit. Without Snape glaring at him, potions were very relaxing.

Practicing the Patronus charm had become a significant part of Harry's night time ritual. He could consistently create a dense mist now, even without Bill having his Patronus nearby. Patronus to exhaustion, then Occlumency, then sleep. Harry entered his dreamscape a few times, but really it was more about getting support and affection. He always woke up feeling more positive and cared for.

The second task was almost upon them and Ginny had been working with Harry on his swimming. She was like a fish! Harry was like a Yak. After a few weeks together, there was no more blushing or embarrassment. Harry liked her. He spent as much time with her as he could. After the tournament, he planned to tell her. By the time February 23rd arrived, Harry still couldn't swim well. He had improved a bit, but not much.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts Grounds**

**Bill and Harry's Hut**

**February 23rd, 1995**

Harry was relaxing with Bill and Fleur. It was a tense evening as the task was the next day and Fleur was on edge. Harry had seen her swimming and she was far better than him. Still, there was the unknown. Harry and Fleur had studied all the freshwater possibilities Remus could think of, but there was always the unknown. One very nice dinner, then the next task would begin at 9:30 AM.

Now or Never, Harry thought. "Bill, I have something I'd like to talk to you about."

"Sure thing." Bill could see Harry struggling. Fleur was pretending to read a book.

After a brief pause, Harry just blurted out, "I like Ginny. I know she's your sister and all, but I like her. I plan to tell her after the tournament and see if she feels the same way." And he just waited for Bill to say something. Harry felt like he was about to be judged and sentenced.

Bill struggled not to smile. "You know there is a standard of behaviour expected." Harry just nodded. Bill knew Ginny was mad for him, but he had to lay down the rules. "I don't want either of you to get hurt, but you're the Wizard. That means you have to behave yourself and treat Ginny like a proper Witch. No public displays of affection, not unsupervised time together, you have to treat her right. I expect you to open doors for her, stand up when she enters a room, and never take her for granted."

Harry enthusiastically nodded. "Absolutely, Bill." He started fidgeting under the scrutiny.

Fleur put her book down. She seemed slightly irritated. "And remember, Harry… She is a red head. They are passionate and aggressive by nature. You need to tell her when she is making you uncomfortable. A witch likes to know she can be herself without being judged, but honesty is important. Don't let yourself be pressured into doing _anything_ you aren't comfortable with." Fleur knew Ginny would be the aggressive one. Harry was just so adorably naive and innocent. If only he was a year or two younger, she would pair him with her dear sister. No matter how much she tried, Fleur just didn't like Ginny. Bill was gently playing big brother, but he was warning off the wrong party.

Bill was just staring at her. Now he seemed irritated. The mood was suddenly odd.

Harry got up. "OK, Fleur. I'm going for a walk now. Thanks, Bill. I promise you I will treat Ginny well." And he left the hut. As he left he heard Fleur laugh. Shifting his hearing he heard Bill protest and Fleur saying something about Harry getting attacked by Ginny. Then they started making noises that told Harry to give them an hour or three.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts Grounds**

**9:00 AM**

**February 24th, 1995**

Harry woke up and checked all his things. His father's cloak was still there. His photo album of his parents was still there. What had been taken? Hedwig maybe? No, she would never go under water. He quickly put on the swim suit he had ordered from a muggle dive shop. It was thick and intended for cold water. Yes, he would look unusual, but it would give him some protection and natural warmth. Add in a few warming charms and he would be fine. On a whim, he tucked the pen knife Sirius had given him into his sleeve, opposite of his wand.

Just as he was about to depart, Dobby appeared. "Master Harry, Dobby finds the best way to be like a fish!" he was holding out some kind of seaweed looking leafy mass.

"Dobby, what's this?" Harry had no clue what Dobby intended.

Dobby just smiled and exclaimed, "Gillyweed! It lets yous be like a fish. Master Harry will be able to swim!"

Harry smiled and took the leaves. "Thanks, Dobby!" He had no intention of eating this muck. He'd do his best and if he failed, he failed. All his most important things were accounted for. There was nothing they could have taken that could not be replaced easily enough. Even his broom.

Dobby exclaimed, "Now Master Harry can save his Wheezy!"

"What do you mean, Dobby? My Wheezy?"

"They takes Miss Ginny Wheezy. Master Harry needs to get her back from the Merpeople!"

Harry had a look of horror take over his face. It was not a thing, it was a person. And he couldn't swim! He had one hour, then he'd lose her forever! Hell no! "Dobby, are you sure this… gillyweed?"

Dobby nodded his head so forcefully his ears flapped.

Harry sprinted to the lake and followed the crowds. He arrived at the table where the other champions were gathered. Ludo Bagman gave him some encouragement, then squeezed his shoulder. "Good Luck Harry!"

Harry could see Bill on the side-lines. Who had been taken from Fleur? She seemed incredibly upset. Hermione was nowhere to be seen… Damn! Harry looked at Krum and saw determination in the young man's eye. Cedric also looked upset. Shite! Harry hated this damn tournament.

Suddenly a whistle pulled Harry from his thoughts. The other contestants were charging into the water. Harry took off his shoes and dropped his blanket. He cast a warming spell and waded into the lake. He put the nasty mush in his mouth and began chewing. He almost gagged on it. It was rubbery and slimy.

Suddenly he couldn't breathe. While he was gasping, he felt a sharp piercing pain on the sides of his neck. Reaching up, he felt gills! Harry put his head in the water and realized he didn't need the bubble charm at all. He could breathe under water just fine. His feet felt like they were being stretched and his hands felt odd. Looking at them, they both looked longer and webbed. No time to think. Ginny needed him, and he kicked off.

Swimming was so easy now. So natural! Dobby was right, Harry was like a fish. His whole body was moving and undulating – propelling him forward. He was like a dolphin or a seal. He was swimming faster than he could run. As he approached a sea of green weed, he slowed to get his bearings.

He felt something grab his ankle. Looking down, he saw one Grindylow had grabbed him and others were approaching him. Harry held his wand out and said ' _Relashio!'_ No sound actually came forth, but sparks shot out and seemed to burn the creature. Once released, Harry kicked off at full speed, they would never catch him. He was getting deeper and deeper in the lake. Hopefully he wouldn't see the giant squid…

Suddenly, he saw movement to his right. Looking over, it was Myrtle! She could even talk underwater! "Try over there, Harry…" She smiled and added, "I won't come, they always chase me away. But that's where you should go."

Harry gave her a wave and a nod. He then launched himself in the direction she had pointed. He was growing tired from the constant 'sprinting', but images were coming into focus through the murky water. Stone dwellings with Merpeople moving about in the distance. He heard them begin singing once more.

"… _your time's half gone, so tarry not Lest what you seek stays here to rot…"_

Hell no! Harry kicked up a bit of speed and surged forward. There were a lot of Merpeople all around him. Like he was a contestant in a road race or something. They were watching. Holding spears and pointing at him. They seemed to be talking to each other as well. Harry noted that they looked nothing like the paintings in Hogwarts. They were grey and had dark green hair. Sharp broken teeth with webbed hands.

As he approached the centre of their little community, he saw the four hostages tied to the tail of a huge statue of a Merperson. Around the statues were armed Merpeople and a choir singing the song from the egg over and over. Adding in lines about running out of time…

As Harry approached, the Merpeople parted for him. He saw Ginny, Cho, Hermione, and a miniature version of Fleur. It must be her sister, the resemblance was uncanny. Harry approached the little girl. He could free all of them actually. Suddenly, a rather large merman pulled him away. Before Harry could react he just said, "You may only take one!" Other Merpeople came forward and blocked him.

Harry backed away a bit. He needed a plan. No way was he leaving these people down here. He briefly thought about leaving Cho, but decided to save her as well. Bitch that she was. Problem: how to fight so many Merpeople underwater. None of his books on combat and strategy dealt with underwater fighting. And the Merpeople knew how to fight and live underwater. He wasn't sure how well his spells would work if he couldn't speak clearly, either.

Then he heard the singing. They were telling him how much time was left. He'd wait. Until the last moment, then he'd save any prisoners that were left. Hopefully, they would all be rescued but handing four unconscious students while fighting off Merpeople was not a good plan. Maybe he could manage two…

Cedric suddenly came out of the gloom. He looked at Harry for a moment and tapped his watch. The message was clear… 'What are you doing? Time's running out.' He took out a knife and freed Cho. Then, she swam up and out of the area. Harry watched him leave. Good riddance, and one less hostage he'd have to free.

A few minutes later, Viktor Krum came out of the gloomy depths and was half transfigured into a shark. He tried to chew through the ropes, but was having difficulty. Harry was getting scared he might accidentally bite Hermione. He tried to call out, but he could only make odd bubbly sounds. Reaching out, he touched Krum to get his attention. Reluctantly, he handed Krum his pen knife. Krum used the knife, then handed it back to Harry. For a minute, Harry was afraid he would keep it or throw it away. But Krum was honourable.

Harry waited. Time ticked by, but no Fleur. According to the singers, he had less than five minutes left. He decided to take both hostages. He'd use the knockback jinx and hopefully he could fend off the Merpeople long enough to get to the surface. Ginny and the Fleur's sister were right beside each other. If he were sneaky, he could cut them both free without the Merpeople realising what he had done. Then the fight would start.

Harry looked over the ropes. The penknife was enchanted to unlock doors and untie any knot. The knots were very close together. The minute he opened one set of ropes, he'd have to quickly get the other and turn for a fight. He made quick work of Ginny's ropes. It was good practice on using the knife. Once the knots were touched with Sirius' penknife, they just seemed to 'release' themselves. Fleur's sister had three main knots. Harry quickly turned and swiped the knife across the three knots and turned to fight. The largest merman swam forward, and Harry used the ' _Flipendo!_ ' knockback jinx. It worked like a charm. Four more swam forward, so Harry put a little more power into it and cast ' _Flipendo Tria!_ ' and sent them all backward.

Wrapping his arm under Ginny's and grabbling Fleur's sister by the wrist, then he began kicking upward. A few mermen pursued them, but Harry's jinx kept pushing them backward. Harry suddenly saw one merman approaching from the left side, where Fleur's sister was. He pushed the merman back with another ' _Flipendo!'_ , but as he did, his scar flared up. The merman appeared to be enraged and threw his spear right at the little girl. It looked like it would hit her dead centre.

Harry didn't know how his shield spell would work underwater. Not willing to risk it, he put himself between the spear and the girl. The spear moved much slower under the water and he tried to deflect it, but he moved slower also. It ended up catching him in the arm. Brutally painful. Fortunately, it wasn't his wand hand.

The other Merpeople seemed to restrain the one who threw the spear and Harry put his wand in his teeth and grabbed the two girls again. He only had one good arm, so no more casting. He then began kicking once more and swam upward. His kicks lost their strength and he suddenly had trouble breathing. He was now desperate to get to the top. As he broke the surface, he no longer had gills or webbed feet. The gillyweed had worn off.

Ginny and the other girls woke once on the surface, Harry was coughing and sputtering. He had inhaled a bit of water. They both helped him. The younger girl was speaking incredibly fast in French and Harry was only catching every third word. Something about blood and injury. Ginny was talking too. He coughed and managed a bubblehead charm on each of them. That made the trip back easier. Between the three of them, they slowly made their way back to shore.

Once they arrived, Bill ran out and helped Harry to the hospital tent where Madame Pomfrey was waiting. The spear had been a clean slice and it had not gone especially deep, but it had bled a lot. She gave Harry a Blood replenishing potion, cleaned the wound, and began healing Harry's arm. It hurt like fire when she cleaned it, but the 'knitting' didn't hurt as much. He then was told to rest and recover. Bill cast a Patronus to keep the scar under control. Ginny never left his side.

Fleur came in and hugged Harry. She thanked him for saving her sister, Gabrielle. She had apparently been ambushed by the Grindylows and was pretty scratched up. All of the audience had been able to watch the champions through projections. They had seen Harry stay with the hostages and wait for them to be rescued. They had also seen the one merman attack Gabrielle.

Dumbledore entered the tent to check on Harry. "Well done, Harry. Your performance was most impressive. I should tell you, the leader of the Merpeople personally apologised for the attack. He is deeply ashamed and wants to apologise personally. They were immensely impressed with your loyalty and selfless nature. Impressing the Merpeople is quite an accomplishment."

Harry just nodded. "I couldn't just leave them. I know _we're_ expendable, but our friends shouldn't be. They didn't agree to this!" He really didn't know what else to say.

Dumbledore just stared for a moment. "Harry, they were never in any real danger. After an hour, they would have been released…" He realised that Harry was a truly selfless person. He was a hero. if not for the Horcrux, Harry could be his legacy and replace him as the defender of magical Britain. This realisation made the sacrifices Harry would be asked to make so much more painful.

Harry suddenly looked angry, "Then why were the mermaids singing that damn song? About them being lost forever to Rot?"

Dumbledore looked embarrassed, "That's just a song, Harry."

Harry suddenly felt deflated. All his fear and anxiety had been for nothing. It was like a cruel prank. He felt tears stinging his eyes. What the hell is wrong with these people? "I'd like to be alone, please…" He knew his voice was breaking. He was holding back his emotions, but he was close to cracking. Everyone filed out with words of congratulations.

Ginny turned and came back. She leaned over and hugged him. She could tell how upset he was. Harry broke down in her arms. She held him tight and refused to let go. Bill snuck back to check on them and smiled. He hoped things worked out for them. Harry really was a selfless and innocent young wizard. Ginny was a fiery tempered, stubborn, and extremely moral young witch. He truly loved them both. Fleur took his hand and led him away.

Fifteen minutes later, Harry was asleep and Ginny was beside him. Slowly rubbing his forehead. The task had been bad, but something good came from it. Harry had opened up and let her help him. Given time, everything would be OK.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Gryffindor Common Room**

**8PM**

Angelina Johnson had called a meeting to discuss the situation with Harry. Many students didn't bother to attend, but the important ones were there. Professor McGonagall had also been invited as the head of house. Over the break, they had enough time and distance to really evaluate the way Harry had been treated. The actions many of them had made were deplorable and everything just seemed so much clearer since the break.

Angelina started the meeting, "I don't want to drag this out. We screwed up and we need to fix this. I still think he should be penalised for entering the tournament, but the Declaration of ElectioEiectio was too much. I've asked Professor McGonagall to attend so we can bring Harry back into Gryffindor."

McGonagall shook her head, "If only it were so easy. Mr. Potter doesn't want to come back, and he must be the one to request it. Reversing the Declaration of ElectioEiectio would require a three-quarter majority from the entire student population!"

Angelina closed her eyes in frustration. No way would Slytherin house vote to reverse the ElectioEiectio. Then there were the people Harry had cursed. Yes, it was mostly their own curses sent back at them… but the odds of getting three quarter majority was slim to none.

Katie spoke up, "What **can** we do? After you all shat on him, surely you can come up with something!"

McGonagall took offense at Katie's language, "Miss Bell, while I appreciate the sentiment and loyalty, I would ask you to present yourself appropriately." Basically, don't have a potty-mouth.

After a brief pause, Hermione said, "Harry has been kicked so much, he doesn't even notice it anymore. He expects it. Gryffindor or not, Harry deserves our support. People are still wearing those badges that say 'Potter Stinks'. At a minimum, throw those things away. Maybe even go the extra mile and cheer for him in the next task."

Ron and the twins had been quiet. The break had been awful, their parents had really ripped into them. Once away from Hogwarts, they saw how horrible they had been. The trick Cho pulled was just over the top. But having the majority of Gryffindor curse him in the common room was just as bad, really. The entire Weasley family owed Harry, and they had… not repaid his generosity.

Ron sheepishly added, "Maybe we can make banners or something…" The twins seemed to like the idea. Likely thinking about fireworks and over the top displays.

Ginny glared at Ron. "Do you even **_know_** Harry? It's too late for that kind of support. Really, it would just confuse him or set him off."

McGonagall looked at the young lady. The youngest Weasley knew Harry better than most. "What would you suggest Miss Weasley?"

Ginny shrugged and said, "Just be nice! It's not hard, just be considerate and supportive. Nothing over the top, though. Wish him luck. Say hello. Stop cursing him in the halls and class rooms. Honestly, if Harry ever loses it, people are going to be hurt badly. Maybe even permanently."

Everyone had heard about his eyes glowing when Cho had her trick. The official statement called it an 'infection', but no one really believed that. The unofficial rumour was Harry had been banned from the castle because the Yule Ball was over the top cruel. In his grief, he broke down and was going dark so Dumbledore was afraid he would kill someone. Then the second task came and he refused to leave any hostages behind. He saved that little girl… Nothing dark about that.

McGonagall agreed, "Supporting Harry is a good start. Now we just have to convince him to come back next year."

Based on the looks she saw, no one ever considered that Harry would drop out. Angelina seemed especially down, she had been the ringleader. In reflection, she was mostly jealous that she hadn't been chosen.

Minerva McGonagall knew Harry wanted to leave Hogwarts for good. Albus was against it, but what could he do? Harry could just refuse to get on the train. The boy could take his OWLS tomorrow and pass with flying colours. Now that he is the official heir to the Black and Potter families, Albus couldn't just expel him and snap his wand.

Bringing Harry back without belonging to a house would be limiting. He would always be an outsider. An outcast. Minerva hated to admit it, but she thought Harry might be happier at a different school. Still, she had hope that things would turn around. When Harry declared that he **_hated_** her, she had been devastated. How could she come back from that?

The meeting slowly broke up and no one seemed happy. Well, classes start again in the morning. Harry Potter or not, life goes on.

— **DoD—**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Bulla Capitis!' = Latin for Bubble Head.
> 
> I wrote Harry's dream notes in a way that showed how difficult it was for him to access the memories. Quite honestly, it is hard for most people to recall a dream and writing it down when you are half asleep doesn't always net the benefits expected. But at least he is getting back a little ground now that he is out of the castle.
> 
> Fleur and Bill are now in a solid relationship. I like them as a couple and didn't want to wait. Ginny made her move and the timing was right. I'll now make this a pairing. They are still very young, so don't expect this to be anything other than crush and puppy love. Fleur called it right when she gave Harry advice. For you Ginny haters – Casting shadows starts with a break up. The first crush shouldn't be the last. Sorry to Hinny fans. But hey, you can enjoy it here. And this Ginny will diverge from Cannon in Harry's seventh year in a big way.
> 
> So, Harry and Sirius' plans are delayed until Dumbledore is distracted. Then Sirius causes even more distractions so Ted Tonks can get the documents he needs without interference. It really only seemed normal for a guardian to be notified. I restated quite a bit of what had been declared in an earlier chapter, but now it is confirmed and not just probable.
> 
> I decided Bill would most likely trust Harry enough to tell him what the scar was. At fourteen years old, he is young, but keeping it from him would ruin any trust. Bill is not Dumbledore. He likes to work above the board with his friends and family.
> 
> Why the emotions when Harry found out the hostages were actually safe? Well, he had been frantically trying to save them for hours. Mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. And it was all for nothing! I can definitely see raw emotions there.
> 
> Last Point, without Harry being in the castle, the other students are no longer affected by the Horcrux. This means they are now realising how badly they behaved. Most will just rationalise it to some degree or another, but the attacks will be cut way back. The Gryffindor house was the most affected by the Horcrux, so those students have the most to reflect on. As does their head of house. I'd rather not focus too much here as the Angst is tiring (and yes – my own fault).
> 
> Heading toward the final task and the end of the fourth year. I am debating about 'summarising' my way straight to the fourth task or having an interim chapter. Honestly, not much divergence from Canon until the task… Just Harry not being in the castle.
> 
> Till next time.


	18. Chapter 18

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fourth year will alternate between having 'summary' sections and detailed sections focusing more on where divergence from canon occurs. I do not want to re-tell what most readers already know, but I will spotlight where significant divergence occurs. I also want to cut back on the angst and advance the story. I find that stories with 300K+ words can be hard to get through. In this regard, summaries keep the word count under control. Year five will be a full split and this is where I would rather focus the detail.**

**Fleur and Bill are now in a solid relationship. I like them as a couple and didn't want to wait. Ginny made her move and the timing was right. I'll now make this a pairing. They are still very young, so don't expect this to be anything other than crush and puppy love. Fleur called it right when she gave Harry advice. For you Ginny haters – Casting Shadows starts with a breakup. The first crush shouldn't be the last. Sorry to Hinny fans. But hey, you can enjoy it here. And this Ginny will diverge from Cannon in Harry's seventh year in a big way.**

**I decided Bill would most likely trust Harry enough to tell him that the scar was a piece of Voldemort. At fourteen years old, he is young, but keeping it from him would ruin any trust. Bill is not Dumbledore. He likes to work above the board with his friends and family. Harry is a trained curse-breaker, and has likely had to learn quite a bit of rather awful information about curses. He can handle the truth…**

**Harry is now living in a hastily constructed hut near Hagrid's. Bill and Remus are his roommates. Between the two adult wizards, there is almost always a Corporeal Patronus around and about. Harry practices casting the Patronus charm every night until he is too exhausted to continue. He then performs his Occlumency exercises until he falls asleep. All of these factors add up to the Horcrux losing a bit of ground. When Harry sleeps under a Patronus, he occasionally can reach his dreamscape and visit his mother's incarnation.**

**Sirius has set up and moved to Switzerland. He was quietly negotiating a trial through the Black family lawyers. The legal team is in a holding pattern and will strike at the next opportunity, determined when Dumbledore has some huge event that throws him off balance. Like a natural disaster.**

**Worth noting, without Harry being in the castle, the other students are no longer affected by the Horcrux. His means they are realising how badly they behaved. Most will just rationalise it to some degree or another, but the attacks will be cut way back. The Gryffindor house was the most affected by the Horcrux, so those students have the most to reflect on. As does their head of house. I'd rather not focus too much here as the Angst is tiring (and yes – my own fault).**

**Fleur and Bill are now in a solid relationship. I like them as a couple and didn't want to wait. Ginny made her move and the timing was right. I'll now make this a pairing. They are still very young, so don't expect this to be anything other than crush and puppy love. Fleur called it right when she gave Harry advice. For you Ginny haters – Casting Shadows starts with a breakup. The first crush shouldn't be the last. Sorry to Hinny fans. But hey, you can enjoy it here. And this Ginny will diverge from Cannon in Harry's seventh year in a big way.**

**Parseltongue is designated with the § symbol and italic script. For example:** **_§ "Parseltongue" §_**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.**

— **Dance of Death** —

**Hogsmeade**

**March, 1995**

Harry went to Hogsmeade with Ginny. He wasn't ready for a real date yet, so he invited Hermione, Neville, and Gabrielle. Hermione had already made plans and Neville was suffering from an infection brought on by one of the plants he was ending in the Greenhouse. Fleur stepped in and told Gabrielle she needed to stay in the castle. Harry suspected she was running interference. It is crazy how he went from hating Fleur for calling him a 'leetle boy' to now really liking her. She and Bill are so good together.

They walked around the village and purchased an impressive amount of treats at Honeydukes. Harry made sure Ginny had tons of chocolate. He also mailed off a letter to Dudley. He tried to write the boy ever couple of weeks. Hopefully, they could get along after the school year like they had started before he went off for school. They went into Zonko's and just clowned around. Harry knew that as long as he didn't stay in one place too long, his scar was less likely to flare up.

Harry was impressed. Where was that shy girl that had been too afraid to speak to him? He really liked Ginny. She was fun and witty. She had all the confidence Ron lacked. Making a stop at Spintwitches Sporting Needs, they started talking about Quidditch. Harry missed playing, but as long as he could fly, he could be happy. Ginny was frustrated because she was a top notch Chaser, but until Angelina or Alicia graduate, she would be stuck as a seeker. She just didn't have the right instincts.

They finally went into the Three Broomsticks for butterbeer and chips. This was by far the most fun he had had in a very long time. Then he saw Ron with Seamus and Dean. They looked over a few times, but that was all. They all seemed uncomfortable. Good. Let them stew in their own misery. Hermione stopped by with Viktor. Soon the table had the four of them laughing and just having fun. Viktor was not an easy person to have a conversation with, but he was nice. He did make of point of thanking Harry for loaning him the penknife in the second task.

Cedric and Cho came into the restaurant, but Cho started crying after a few minutes. She kept looking at Harry while Cedric fidgeted uncomfortably. Harry had refused to acknowledge any letters or personal pleas of apology. He gave her credit for trying, but he just didn't need that right now. She was a person that just needed to be 'liked'. He might be able to look the other way and get past what she did, but he was never going to 'like' her. At least she treated Luna decently, unlike most of her house. Cedric and Cho left rather soon and went to Madame Puddifoot's. Good riddance. Harry half expected to see Bill and Fleur, but he also knew they would have the hut to themselves for most of the day. Yeah, he knew what that meant. He didn't expect them to leave the hut for quite some time.

After about an hour of good fun, Viktor insisted on collecting the check and the group went their separate ways. Hermione and Viktor went into 'Tomes and Scrolls' while Harry took Ginny to 'Gladrags'. Ginny eagerly shopped and tried on various outfits. She left with a pair of crazy looking socks. Harry bought a matching pair and promised to wear them during the tournament. They both laughed at the idea of Harry competing in rainbow striped socks. Not exactly Gringotts dress code.

They decided to walk back to Hogwarts as opposed to a carriage ride. Harry worked up his courage and decided now or never. Time to make his move. He ever so slowly reached out and took her hand. She immediately grasped his in a warm and tight clasp. Fingers interwoven. She just smiled at him. Harry walked back in absolute joy. Then he heard something.

_§ "Kill you! Almost there… Almost." §_

Looking around, Harry saw movement in the grass. "Ginny, don't move." He crept forward just in time to see an adder striking at a lizard. He knew Adders were native to Scotland and posed little danger.

_§ "Hello, Adder. I trust you have no objection with my friend and I passing through." §_

The snake stared at Harry before nodding his head _. §"You honour me, speaker. Would you like my meal?"§_

Harry smiled. Snakes were very simple creatures. _§"You enjoy it, if you get bored, come and visit me some time."§_

The Adder swallowed his meal and nodded. _§ "I'd like that, speaker. It is still very cold at night. Do you have some place warm I can stay?"§_

Why not. The Adder seemed polite and friendly. _§ "Sure, follow me."§_

Ginny had slowly approached Harry. "Harry, is it safe?"

"Quite. He was just having dinner. It'll be nice to have him around, he's very polite. I think I'll name him 'Franklin'."

Ginny wasn't thrilled that Harry had a new pet snake, but she held her tongue. Harry needed to have someone he could talk to from time to time. She worried he would get lonely in the hut with just adults to talk to. It would be OK… Just as long as she didn't have to touch it.

— **Dance of Death** —

**Hogwarts**

**April, 1995**

Harry and Franklin had been getting along well. Franklin liked having a warm place and Harry liked that Franklin would regularly ride on his shoulders and warn him that people were approaching. Harry realized that when Franklin was with him, he always had someone watching his back.

Franklin occasionally gave him advice when they would talk, but it was usually along the lines of "Wait until he walks by and **bite** him!" or "You'll feel better if you eat a mouse." Still, it was someone to talk to. He frequently would walk around the grounds with Franklin just to stretch his legs.

On a bright Saturday morning, he made plans to meet Ginny by the lake. While walking along, thinking about different topics to share with Ginny, Franklin suddenly tensed up.

_§"Be careful, speaker. Three approach."§_

Harry turned and immediately heard " **Stupefy!"**

He twisted out of the way, dodging a red beam of energy, barely managing to regain his balance.

Three older Slytherins approached and spread out. One sinister looking girl and two boys.

Harry was having a good day, now this. "I don't want any trouble."

The Girl was obviously the ringleader. She smirked and said, "Well, sometimes you get what you want, and sometimes you don't."

Harry assumed a duelling stance like Professor Flitwick had showed him. He slowly lowered Franklin to the ground where he slithered off. Harry flicked his wrist and his wand shot out and into his hand.

One of the boys, the one in the middle of the trio, laughed, "Are you planning to put up a fight, Potter? Very optimistic of you." While the boy was talking, Harry noted movement to his left.

A silently cast spell of some sort was heading his way, he volleyed the spell at the boy on the right. Obviously, the boy wasn't ready and was struck on the chest. He began screaming as his robes seemed to dissolve.

Now it was on. The malicious girl began casting repeatedly with a spell chain that was really quite impressive. The boy still standing stuck to the basics. Cutting curses, piercing charms, and stunners. Harry really wanted to launch a spear at them, but he knew it would only work against him. He decided to fight fire with its own heat, just as he did to the first boy.

Harry increased his perceptions to that of an owl and began just volleying spells. Since the nastiest spells were coming from the witch, he focused on her primarily. She fired a bone breaker at him, and he parried it at the remaining boy. It caught him in the hip and he dropped immediately, gasping in pain. He then volleyed a 'blueish' spell he didn't recognise at him for good measure, which resulted in a high-pitched scream. Whoever this witch is, she knows her curses. He finally managed to volley one back at her that got through her shield. The curse he knocked back at her matched the first curse she had cast and she fell to the ground screaming just like the first boy had. Harry could definitely smell burning hair and flesh. It was disgusting.

The fight was over, and he had won with only accurate spell volleys. He had to admit, Professor Flitwick had trained him well. He noted that his wand seemed extremely attached to him. This wand seemed to sing when he was using it to protect and defend.

While he was standing there, catching his breath and trying to decide what to do, Franklin returned and Harry lifted him up. He put away his wand and decided to go to find Hagrid. Then, he felt an odd 'prickling' sensation. Turning, he glimpsed a red light coming straight at him. It could only be a Stunning spell. Had he been holding his wand; he would have managed a 'Protego' shield. He barely managed to dodge it when a second one struck home.

— **Dance of Death** —

When Harry awoke, he was in the hospital wing. Damn, back in the castle. This can't be good. Dumbledore, Moody, Snape, and Madame Pomfrey were crowded around him. He also saw Professor Flitwick standing beside McGonagall off to the side. He had a nasty headache, but glancing around, he noticed the three other Slytherins seemed to be in excruciating pain.

Snape sneered, "He awakes." There was an extra amount of animosity in that statement.

Dumbledore looked very grim. "Harry, you need to tell us what happened." Madam Pomfrey seemed especially irritated.

Harry took a deep breath. "Well, those three Snakes decided to ambush me. I managed to volley their spells back at them and then some Snivelling coward struck me before I could get help." Harry suspected it was Snape who cast the stunner that took him down. He likely waited until he put his wand away. Coward.

Snape roared at that, "How dare you! You attacked three of my students and dare to act like a victim? Headmaster, he MUST be expelled!"

Moody laughed out loud. "Simmer down Turncoat, let's check the wands!" Seeing Snape pause, he added, "What's the matter Deatheater, afraid we'll find out your snakes are guilty?"

Dumbledore silenced Moody with a very stern gaze. "Harry, those spells were especially dark. Had Severus not arrived when he did, the other three students likely would have perished." Letting that sink in, he added, "I need to know if there is anything you'd like to say, before we check the wands."

"Yes, sir. As a matter of fact, there is." Harry noted Snape looked smug, Dumbledore looked disappointed, and Moody just gave him a curious stare. Professor Flitwick was watching and seemed concerned. "I'd like the Aurors called in. That was a lethal assault on the heir of an Ancient and Most Noble house."

Snape suddenly went pale. Dumbledore tried to look calm, but failed. He knew the reputation of the school had taken a serious hit with Harry being constantly attacked. Things had gotten much better in recent weeks, but this would open fresh wounds.

"Harry, I don't think that is necessary." But his eyes weren't twinkling.

"Headmaster, if you don't call the Aurors in, I will be forced to contact them and Director Ragnok myself. I will also make a point of determining if Hogwarts is breaking the law by refusing to bring in the authorities."

After a long pause, Dumbledore just said, "Very well. No one is allowed to touch the wands."

Harry suddenly realized what was missing. "Oh, and I'd like my friend back now." Seeing their confused faces, he added, "My adder. His name is Franklin. I'd like him returned."

Albus tried to hide it, but he was glad Harry had a friend, even if it was a snake. Being a Parselmouth meant Harry would have a pet he could really open with. He could use a friend in these difficult times. The Declaration of Eiectio was a horrible thing for the boy to go through, having a confidant might make it more bearable.

Dumbledore took a deep breath. "You may keep him on the grounds, but not inside the castle." Turning to Snape, he said, "Severus, please see to it that Franklin, Mr. Potter's snake, is returned."

Severus seemed to look bored and malicious at the same time. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. I used 'Franklin' to restock my potion ingredients." The greasy man showed a very faint grin. Ever so slight. "I had no idea 'it' was to be… returned." He said it the way someone might ask you to 'pass the potatoes'.

Moody yelled at the man, "You knew perfectly well what you were doing, you Greasy Turncoat Bastard!"

Albus just stared at Snape in stunned disbelief. "Severus…"

Professor Flitwick stepped forward and put his hand on Harry's shoulder and said, "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't know…"

But Harry was too stunned to hear him. As far as he was concerned, Snape was a murderer. No, he wasn't as close to Franklin as he was to Hedwig, but he liked the quirky little fellow. Harry stared at the man. He actually felt his magic radiating outward. It was like that splinter of Voldemort in his scar **_wanted_** him to lash out. "Mark my words, _Deatheater_. One day, I'll make **you** into potion ingredients!"

The teachers were suddenly shocked. Harry reached up to run his hand through his hair and Severus, misinterpreting, rapidly drew his wand and sent a stunner at Harry. Fortunately, Professor Flitwick deflected it. For easily twenty seconds, no one made a single sound. Harry just stared, stunned beyond belief.

Madam Pomfrey broke the silence. "Get that man out of my hospital! Albus, he just discharged an offensive curse inside a hospital wing at an unarmed student!" The woman was livid.

Severus turned and left. He was officially scared. The brat's eyes were glowing again, only brighter. The power had been rolling off him. It was like he was in the presence of the Dark Lord again. Soon, the Aurors would be here. He had been so sure Potter had cast those lethal spells, he failed to cleanse his student's wands. They could go to Azkaban for this. Potter was a menace, why couldn't Albus see that?

He went down stairs into his office and tried to calm his nerves. Was he at risk for angering a new Dark Lord? One that Albus refuses to acknowledge? Why did his students have to accost the boy? Now what was he to do about this? The boys were not from a noble house, but the girl was a Selwyn. This could get ugly. He cast that last stunner out of reflex. At the heir of House Black… What would the Aurors do?

— **Dance of Death** —

**Hogwarts Grounds**

**At Harry's Hut**

**That Night**

Amelia Bones took Harry's statement. She knew Harry resented her for failing to adequately investigate the last major attack on him. She also knew he was aware that she had tricked him into ending their alliance. After reviewing the terms of the alliance, she realised how badly she had miscalculated. As the head of the Bones family, she was now fully responsible for Harry's wellbeing. Her own magic required her to protect and nurture the boy. He had been released from the alliance, but the Bones line was now required to honour the alliance to a degree that was near punitive. On top of that, her own magic was constantly pressuring her to make amends.

Harry frostily asked, "So, Lady Bones. What happens now? Or do I need to sign away any other alliances before you will do your job."

She winced as his comment had cut. She had apologised numerous times and offered a formal rapprochement. Harry had declined and said he wasn't interested in anything the Bones family could offer. In truth, she didn't blame him.

Amelia looked appraisingly at the boy. He was still being attacked, and she felt such a longing to aid him. It was nearly overpowering in its intensity. His animosity only made it worse.

Best to ignore the insults and keep it professional. "Mr. Potter, the wands clearly showed lethal curses had been used by the female. One of the boys had not cast a single curse. The other boy had cast dangerous, but not 'inherently lethal' charms. The girl was actually seventeen and would be arrested. The boy who never cast any spells was free to go, but will receive a stern warning. Based on the pensieve memories provided, he was there looking for trouble. We are recommending punitive action on the part of the school. The boy who cast the dangerous, but not illegal charms and curses will likely be expelled. However, he had completed his owls, so he wouldn't have his wand snapped. Being sixteen means his parents will have to complete his schooling if expelled." She suspected Albus would merely assign detention.

Harry nodded. "What about Snape?"

"Well, Severus Snape is the trickier subject. He attacked you from behind after the fight and after you had put your wand away. However, he only used a stunning curse. He will likely claim to have believed you were threatening and attacking the other students. Complicating the matter is the fact that he also tried to stun you in the infirmary while you were unarmed." She didn't add that it happened right after callously saying he had killed Harry's pet.

Harry waited. He sensed there was more.

"Mr. Potter, you are an Heir to an Ancient and Most Noble house. While the attack on you after the fight could be called a 'misunderstanding', the attack in the infirmary was clearly illegal. The spell he cast was non-lethal, but you were unarmed and in a hospital bed. The real question is, how far do you want to take it?"

Harry considered this for a minute. Normally, he'd just say 'screw it' and move on, but then he thought about Franklin… "Lady Bones, I'd like the man to be arrested and locked away. He intentionally attacked me and maliciously killed my pet. He even had the gall to mock me about it. Talk to Professor Flitwick and Madame Pomfrey if you have doubts." Harry suddenly had a glazed look on his face. "And ask Snape if he was responsible for Marlene McKinnon's death."

Amelia nodded. This would pit her against Dumbledore. The headmaster actually wanted her to ignore the lethal attack on Harry. What was wrong with him? Snape was a different matter. Amelia knew he had to have committed an unspeakable crime to be given the mark, but he never had to pay for that crime. There were a number of Aurors that felt he got off too easy. Still, to have a fourteen year old boy give her a lead on a cold case…

"Mr. Potter, is there something about Professor Snape that we should know?" She knew the horrific fate that befell the McKinnon family. How on earth did Harry know? That was before he was even born.

Harry's eyes came back into focus. "My mother always suspected him of murdering Marlene McKinnon, one of her closest friends. If you can get Snape removed from Hogwarts and investigated for the deaths of the McKinnon family, I will accept your rapprochement."

Amelia was so happy she could dance. The possibility of a rapprochement made her ecstatic. She knew it was just her magic influencing her, but it was still a relief to know she might stop feeling the constant pressure and guilt of her actions. Her magic would cease punishing her. All she had to do, was punish a marked Deatheater.

"I'll see what I can do."

— **Dance of Death** —

**Hogwarts**

**Dumbledore's Office**

**Heads of House Meeting**

Albus Dumbledore called an emergency meeting of his Heads of House to discuss the latest scandalous attack on Harry Potter. He knew rumours would start circulating and he wanted to ensure it was not exaggerated within the student body. He stopped inviting Alastor Moody due to the man's divisive behaviour and childish name calling. After covering the factual account of the attack, the other heads of house were outraged at how Severus had behaved.

Filius Flitwick was rarely angry, but today he was furious. "Why did you kill his pet? Then you attacked him! What the hell were you thinking?"

Severus was in no mood to mince words, "That was a venomous adder and had to be destroyed for the good of the school. I struck out because he made a threatening gesture."

Pomona Sprout had heard enough, "Bollocks! It was a simple adder and its bite is not lethal except to small children and the infirm. You did it to hurt the boy."

Albus was having to step in for the umpteenth time. "Enough! What's done is done and we need to focus on weathering this new storm. Amelia Bones has arrested one of the perpetrators and has asked us to expel another. The third has been recommended for disciplinary action. Severus, have any of the attackers shared their reason for seeking out Mr. Potter?"

Minerva McGonagall chimed in before Severus could, "Reasons? How about they are vicious little thugs who have no place here?"

Severus glared at Minerva, "They behaved no different than your 'lions'. Harry Potter is a menace and the school would be better off without him. You've said as much yourself, Minerva."

Albus Dumbledore shook his head, "No, Severus. I'm afraid the fault lies entirely with the Slytherin students who accosted him. Young Timothy may not have cast any spells, but I suspect that was only because he was the first to fall. Matthew needs to be disciplined. Rather than expulsion, I'd say a month's detention. Wilhelmina will be expelled and stand trial for attacking and using lethal curses against the Heir of House Black."

Severus waited for a pause and asked, "What of me? Apparently, Madam Bones wants to arrest me and subject me to extensive questioning."

Albus looked saddened. "I have already contacted minister Fudge. He was not happy, but Lucius Malfoy had already spoken to him as well and he will ensure that all charges are dropped." Albus didn't add the fact that Fudge was threatening to place a ministry employee on site. Apparently, he feels that the school is a breeding ground of violence and mayhem.

Filius lost his cool, "You should be deeply ashamed, Severus! I can't believe you attacked a fourteen year old boy while he was unarmed and in a hospital bed. That so called 'threatening gesture' was no more than Harry running his hand through his hair. He does that whenever he feels uncomfortable." He decided to go for blood, "I heard the rumours Severus. Did you kill the McKinnon girl? Are you the one who did all those _unspeakable_ things?"

The rest of the staff gasped. Apparently, Filius was the only one Harry had talked to. Minerva looked ready to burst into tears. Pomona just gaped and gasped, looking like she was having a panic attack. They all knew the fate of the McKinnon family and they all knew Snape was a reformed Deatheater. This brought it home and made it personal.

Albus Dumbledore stood up, "Enough Filius! Not. Another. Word!" After a tense moment, Albus dismissed the teachers.

Severus knew his life at Hogwarts was changing, and not for the better. Albus had hidden his initiation crimes against Marlene and her family, but it was now coming to light. Marlene McKinnon. The girl who was always telling Lily she was too good for him. The stuck-up little bitch who caught and reported him whenever he had planned some mischief or prank against Muggle-born students. The girl who steered Lily into the arms of James Potter. As much as he despised her, he still had nightmares about what he had done. But he had to go through with it or he would have suffered a similar fate. He hated the girl, but he still avoided thinking about it. The whole family had been wiped out. Even the infants and toddlers. It was a message to the rest of the wizarding families. Get on board or get out of the way.

He knew that no one would treat him well now that they suspected. He would be a pariah. Hated and despised.

All because of Potter!

— **Dance of Death** —

The next month was quiet and allowed Harry time to prepare for the final task. The students in Slytherin house kept their distance from Harry. The rumour mill had it that Harry had easily bested three sixth years and they had been horrifically injured. With Dumbledore's help, Snape managed to avoid prosecution, but it was on record and he was told any further offences and he would be put-on trial.

Severus refused to admit or deny the accusation of murdering Marlene McKinnon, so his peers assumed the worst. They made a point of avoiding Severus, always having an excuse for wanting nothing to do with him. Minerva McGonagall was especially vile toward him as Marlene had been a favourite of hers. She knew how badly the young lady had been tortured before she was killed. Bad enough to murder one so young and full of life, but to take away her dignity and draw out her death…

Rita Skeeter printed a story about Harry being dangerous and deranged. Malfoy and his cronies had been quoted extensively. It drew attention. To his friendship with a 'dangerous Werewolf' and 'Giants', as well as his Parseltongue ability. Malfoy even claimed Harry had set a snake on another student and hinted that he was behind the Basilisk attacks. That infuriated Harry since Draco summoned the snake and Lucius was behind the attacks.

Apparently, bad press could hurt Harry's ability to divorce himself from Dumbledore, so Sirius set the Black attorneys on the Prophet and Rita Skeeter. They were so vicious and aggressive; the Prophet printed a retraction with a description of Harry saving students by single-handedly killing a Basilisk with a sword. Rita Skeeter sent a personal apology as well and asked Harry to call back the lawyers that were after her home. Harry decided to let it play out after what she printed about Hagrid.

Harry spent much of his free time with Ginny, Luna, Hermione, Neville, and Colin. A few Gryffindor students tried to approach him, but he always rebuffed their attempts at re-establishing any semblance of camaraderie. Ron and the twins had tried, but failed, to mend fences. Harry had decided months ago that he had all the friends he needed. The only teachers he bothered spending time with were Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and Hagrid. Bill stepped up the training and they covered Defence against the Dark Arts, Ancient Runes and Advanced Arithmancy. Harry felt like he was already particularly good at these topics, so it was specific to obscure Arcana, Curse Breaking and unusual Runic combinations. Professor Flitwick continued with Harry's duelling training.

The small professor had been extremely impressed with how Harry had handled the Slytherin attackers and he really stepped up the training. He could be quite the task master. He was training Harry the way he would a professional duellist. Bill knew quite a few dirty tricks and tactics, but he fought clean with Harry. Because of this, Bill was no longer a match for Harry in a one on one duel, Harry was just too fast for Bill to beat in a 'clean fight'.

Bill was slowly showing Harry a few 'dirty tricks' that would make him much more dangerous in a **_real_** fight. As a curse-breaker, Harry would be in quite a few dangerous locales and knowing how to fight dirty will help keep him alive. The books Harry had read on Battle magic had already proven useful against multiple attackers and ambush scenarios. Knowing a few of Bill's dirty tricks was dovetailing nicely into his training.

— **Dance of Death** —

**Hogwarts Grounds**

**Harry's Hut**

**June 23rd**

Harry and Ginny grew had grown closer over the last month and Harry decided he was ready to ask her to be his girlfriend. After having asked Hermione and been gently turned down, he was nervous. Bill gave him the big brother talk weeks ago, so he could check that off. He had a private talk with Fleur and she bolstered his confidence. She seemed to enjoy giving advice to a boy who wasn't overcome by her Allure. She and Bill had gotten really close, but she also had begun to see Harry as a young friend as well.

Fleur and Harry planned out the day before where he would ask Ginny. He had spent so much time over the last month preparing for the third task that he needed one last day to just relax and be Harry. Tomorrow was the task and he intended to win it. But first, Ginny.

He met Ginny by the lake and they took a nice walk, hand in hand. Dobby had prepared a picnic for the couple. A blanket was spread on the ground and a basket of food and drinks was in the centre of it. As they came over the small hill in front of the picnic area, Dobby vanished. Harry took Ginny over to the picnic basket and sat down on the blanket.

Ginny looked around nervously, "Harry, we shouldn't be here. We don't know whose picnic is this."

Harry smiled mischievously, "It looks like it's ours now." With that, he pulled out a fried chicken drumstick and took a bite. Seeing his date squirm about nervously he laughed and confessed, "I had Dobby prepare it."

Ginny started laughing and smacked the back of his head. "I'll get you, Harry Potter! Just you wait… Rascal." She then dove into the food and remarked on how good a cook Dobby was.

"So, Harry, are you nervous about tomorrow?"

Harry thought about it for a minute, "Yeah, but I'm pretty well prepared. The maze they've built should be full of dangerous creatures and some kind of riddle or puzzle to decipher."

Ginny just looked curiously at him, "What makes you say that?"

"Hermione researched the past tournaments, and there is a pattern. Then, I figured that Hagrid was breeding those crazy Blast-End-Skrewts and it all made sense." Thinking for a moment, he added, "I just hope there aren't any more Dragons."

Ginny paled at that idea. Shaking off the thought of Dragons and danger, she picked up the treacle tart. "Care for a slice Harry?"

Harry grinned broadly and asked, "When have I ever passed up treacle tart?" They both laughed at that. Harry loved Treacle tart more than anyone Ginny had ever met.

Getting serious, Harry looked her in the eye, "Hey, Gin… Listen, I thought maybe we could hang out a bit more during the summer. And next year."

She just nodded, "Like we are now, right. I'd like that."

Harry decided to just go for it, "No, Ginny. I mean I want to be your boyfriend. You know, go on dates and stuff. I like you a lot and I'd like to be with you." He just watched and waited. Well, at least he had the courage to ask. Fleur would be proud.

Ginny beamed, "I'd like that Harry!" and she gave him a peck on the cheek. She had waited so long for him to say something like this. She had almost given up. Luna had told her to just be patient, she had said Harry was quite shy but would come around. Her patience had paid off.

She suddenly grew serious, "Of course, we have to set some ground rules…" She noticed Harry straightened up immediately. "First and foremost, No getting yourself hurt tomorrow. That would be totally unacceptable!" She said it jokingly, but she _really_ meant it. "And keep the death defying stunts to a minimal!"

Harry just smiled. Ear to ear. "I'll see what I can do!" He then handed her a tiny box.

She opened the tiny box and found one of his Gringotts curse-breaker buttons and a tie pin with the Gringotts curse-breaker motif. The Brass button was one of the larger ones that go on his Double-Breasted suit coat. She held it and looked up at him.

Harry shrugged, "It's a curse-breaker tradition. Whenever they go out on a dig or an assignment, they leave a button or a tie pin with someone they care about. It guarantees they come back safe." Pausing a moment he added, "Dobby can sew it on your robes if you'd like. Or you can wear it around your neck."

Ginny had heard Bill say something similar when he left for Egypt and gave their mum one of his tie pins. She had also noted that Fleur was wearing one of Bill's Gold Buttons now. "Harry, I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll wear them. And when I pass my Journeyman exam, we'll switch it out for a silver one." At that, Ginny launched herself at him and planted a big kiss on him. His first kiss. When they broke apart, they were both blushing. She then attached the tie pin to her Gryffindor uniform necktie and pocketed the box with the button.

They talked and held hands until the sun began to drop. Tomorrow was the final task, then he would be able to relax and focus on important things. Like Ginny. And Curse-breaking. Hopefully he could take his owls early and just skip ahead and follow up with his Newts. He'd ace them, of that he was sure.

Once done with Hogwarts, he and Bill could go on a few more digs. All he needed to do was divorce himself from Dumbledore. They just had to wait for something big to distract Dumbledore. Soon, everything would be better. He'd win the damn tournament, find the person who attacked him before Halloween, break away from Dumbledore, Get rid of the piece of Voldemort inside his scar, and be free.

As Harry thought about all he had to do, he sarcastically wondered, 'What could go wrong?'

— **Dance of Death** —

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: The Final Task
> 
> Notes:
> 
> This chapter was not as long as some, but a good stopping point. If I went further, I'd be in the fourth task and that would push me out a week to finish it up in an acceptable way. The third task will be similar to the one in canon, just with a few differences. Just like every chapter thus far. After the third task, we are completely out of the Canon world and into the AU. Big divergences will begin.
> 
> So, I liked the idea that Harry would adopt a snake as a friend. I used the Adder, because they are native to Scotland and would just be coming out of hibernation. Think of it as a shade of the future and a nod to casting shadows. Harry was fond of Franklin, but not attached the way he was to Hedwig or his Runespoor in Casting Shadows. Still, he was shocked and saddened that his pet was so callously killed. He also knew it was directed at him personally. No more Mr. Nice guy where Snape is concerned. He will not even pretend to be civil. Open Hostility from this point forward.
> 
> Yes, Snape maliciously killed Harry's pet. In his mind, he was taking out his frustrations over what he saw as Harry harming three of his students. It was only when he calmed down that he realised he overreacted and Harry likely wasn't the instigator. He never dreamed Harry had gotten so good at volleying curses. If he had suspected, he would have cleared the Slytherin wands and punished the students privately for disobeying him.
> 
> Snape's attack on Harry in the hospital may seem unrealistic, but I don't see it that way. Snape has survived horrible experiences and Harry flaring up with power and making threats triggered a 'fight or flight' action on his part. It was purely fear inspired and a reflexive action. The man is a mess. In many ways, he is similar to Harry in Casting Shadows. The difference is that he is a rat bastard and Harry is not.
> 
> Moody reacted very strongly against Snape for killing Harry's pet, but it was just to ingratiate himself to Harry. He couldn't care less, but Harry's distance is bothering him. He had expected Harry to be trusting and dependent on him by now. He has a mission to complete and he wants to control Harry.
> 
> Harry was briefly back in the castle, but the Horcrux lost ground over the last few weeks and the stay was not long enough to change that. Still, he has to avoid being inside the castle at all costs in the future.
> 
> In the books, Hermione came under fire in a Witch Weekly article written by Rita Skeeter. But in this story, Harry was clearly with Ginny after the second task. That killed the 'Love Triangle' aspect of Rita Skeeter's article. Without having that to go off of, Rita had no story.
> 
> Ginny and Harry are getting together sooner, rather than later. I am trying to portray Ginny in a way that is closer to Canon, just sooner than in the books. I credit the 'Mind Healing' aka, Counselling, for helping Ginny get past her shyness and be herself. Harry is no longer distracted by Ron or Hermione or Cho… so, here we go.
> 
> The next chapter is obviously an important one. It also marks the end of the 'Angsty' part of the story and begins Harry on the path that leads to who he is in Casting Shadows.
> 
> Till next time.


	19. Chapter 19

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fourth year will alternate between having 'summary' sections and detailed sections focusing more on where divergence from canon occurs. I do not want to re-tell what most readers already know, but I will spotlight where significant divergence occurs. I also want to cut back on the angst and advance the story. I find that stories with 300K+ words can be hard to get through. In this regard, summaries keep the word count under control. Year five will be a full split and this is where I would rather focus the detail.**

**Parseltongue is designated with the § symbol and italic script. For example:** **_§ "Parseltongue" §_**

**So, after this chapter, we will diverge from Canon. Even after it diverges, events will all be tied back to Canon events. I will be heavily using JK Rowling's words and scenes in the cemetery. She wrote an amazing story, and this is one of the best elements. I tried to give a slightly different perspective. The outcome will be significantly different than canon, but I think it makes sense in this story.**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.**

** Chapter 19 - No More Magic **

— **Dance of Death** —

**Hogwarts**

**Harry's Hut**

**June 24, 1995**

Harry was mentally going over all the spells he had learned this year as well as the spells he had known for years. He was ready for the final task, but he had to wait for the early evening. Waiting was hard when you were nervous and ready. He was done preparing for the final task and just wished he could get it over with.

Sometime around 11 AM, he was visited by the older members of the Weasley family. They wanted to send him off with a good luck celebration. Bill cast his Patronus to prevent any unfortunate 'flare up events'. Mrs. Weasley brought a treacle tart, Mr. Weasley was just there for him. Harry thought the man was the perfect father, always so calm and kind. Charlie had joined them before lunch and it was a perfect way to distract him and it brought much needed happiness to Harry's morning.

Soon after lunch, his school friends stopped by. Ginny, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Colin all joined him. Hermione and Neville skipped out on 'study time' for the final exams just to be with him and show their support. They had helped him prepare for each task selflessly. They were all true friends.

Harry didn't have much of an appetite, he was too nervous. Still, having so many people come and support him, made him feel ready to burst with happiness.

At five forty five, Harry and Bill made their way to the final task. The Weasleys and Harry's friends accompanied him to the last task. As he walked up, he was told that he and Cedric had the high scores, so they would enter first. Dumbledore warned them that the maze would bring out the worst in each of them, but not to give in to their 'dark side'. Or something like that. Harry had stopped listening to Albus Dumbledore long ago. He knew more about people's darker side than anyone else in school.

It was starting to get darker and the twenty foot high hedges would make it very dark inside. He knew he would work his way to the centre, and he had an ace in the hole. Harry was an Elementalist. He understood the elements to a degree no normal witch or wizard could. And the element of wood was the element that he found the most intuitive to commune with. Harry prepared himself.

A whistle was blown and Harry and Cedric raced into the maze. Cedric quickly pulled away as he was larger, older, and faster. When Cedric turned left, Harry turned right. Reaching out, he touched the hedge. As he relaxed his senses and opened his perception, he came to understand the maze as only a plant could. Roots and branches all intermingling. He understood that the maze would be continuously changing. There was no real pattern he could find, but he could easily tell where the centre was. Well, he didn't have a perfect route, but it was better than the 'point-me' charm.

Harry shifted his vision to that of an owl so he could see better in the dim light. Now that he had an idea of where to go and clear vision, he sprinted ahead. He knew how to get close to the centre. He would just check his directions with the pants whenever they shifted to re-orient. Soon, Harry felt he was about a third of the distance to the destination. He was surprised that he had not encountered any obstacles. There had been a glowing mist that made you feel like you were upside down... He just had to focus through it… but that was not really a _challenge_.

Suddenly, he heard a pain filled yell. It was Cedric. Harry was tempted to ignore it, but he just couldn't bring himself to refuse aid to someone in pain. He doubled back in time to see Cedric battling one of those Blast-End-Skrewts Hagrid had been breeding. Cedric had been badly burned and the creature was advancing. Harry quickly waved his wand and cast an 'earth wave' charm at the creature, flipping it upside down and burying it in dirt.

Harry then rushed over to check on Cedric. The older boy had sustained a terrible burn on his right side. He summoned elemental water to soothe Cedric's burns, but that wouldn't be enough. Still, it helped. Harry knew he needed medical assistance. The burns were blackened and blistered. His wand had been destroyed and sat on the earth as smoking fragments.

"Cedric, do you want me to summon help? Your wand is broken and you have been badly burned…"

Cedric looked at Harry and just gave a short nod. Clearly, he was in pain. He also hated giving up. Harry would have felt sorry for him if he hadn't been such an ass all year. Still, he shot off red sparks and moved to the edge of the area. Within a minute, he saw Professor Sprout collect the boy. She looked over at Harry and nodded to him with a sad smile. Harry nodded back and returned to the task.

The maze shifted twice more. In that time, Harry fought an Acromantula and solved a riddle from a sphinx. While these challenges were not easy, they were not as difficult as he had been led to believe. Then, he rounded a corner and saw the cup. It was perhaps fifty yards away. His battle with the Acromantula resulted in a strained knee, but no further injuries.

Suddenly, he heard Fleur scream. Harry wanted to win, but not enough to sacrifice someone he cared about. Turning, he raced as fast as his sore knee would let him toward the sounds of Fleur screaming.

As he came around the corner, he saw Fleur on the ground, twisting and thrashing in pain while Victor Krum held his wand out and continued to curse her. Harry recognised the curse, it was the Cruciatus curse. They had obviously duelled as Fleur's ankle had been badly broken. Viktor's left arm was at an odd angle. Yet he showed no signs of pain.

With a flick of his wand and a hastily pronounced " **Stupefy!** ", Harry shot a stunner at the older boy. Viktor turned toward him at the last moment. Harry briefly saw his eyes, they appeared to be cloudy. Then, the stunning curse struck him directly in the centre of his chest. He had somehow been charmed. Controlled, maybe? Attacking Fleur just didn't seem like the boy Harry knew.

Rushing to Fleur, Harry helped her recover. She was shaking terribly. Harry performed an 'episkey' healing charm on her ankle, but she needed more healing than he could give. Still, if he helped her, she could go on.

"Fleur, let me help you. We can finish this task together."

Fleur looked at Harry appraisingly for a moment. "Non, Harry. You should go on. You deserve it."

Harry shook his head, "No. We go together, or not at all."

Fleur finally relented and allowed Harry to help her up. Harry fetched her wand with a quick summoning charm. She conjured a splint for her lower leg and leaned heavily on Harry. Harry knew how close they were to the cup. He wanted her to finish with him. He actually planned to let her have it, but he didn't feel up to an argument.

— **Dance of Death** —

**The Centre of the Maze**

Harry and Fleur limped along to the cup. Harry was having to support her extensively as her ankle was definitely broken. His own knee was aching where he had wrenched it, but he could manage. As they came to the cup, Harry couldn't help but wonder why anyone would be foolish enough to go through all this just for something as stupid as a trophy and a few Galleons. He found himself wondering if Cedric was alright. His burns had been terrible. Hopefully, Madame Pomfrey could fix him up. Not that he cared… well, not much. Still, he wasn't a total bastard. Despite everything he had been through this year, he didn't really want anyone to be killed or disfigured. Well, maybe Malfoy wouldn't be so bad.

He looked sympathetically at Fleur, one of the few people he trusted. She was till trembling from the Cruciatus curse. "Fleur, I've been thinking… You should be the victor, not me. I never even wanted to compete. I want _you_ to take the cup." He was smiling sincerely.

Fleur looked at Harry with a mix of pain, shock and surprise. After all he had been through, could he really be that selfless? "Harry, you are having to carry me to the cup. Now you want me to take it? Non. You will take the cup and I will cheer for you. You deserve it."

Harry thought for a minute… "How about we both take the cup? Make it a tie…" That seemed fair.

Fleur considered for a minute, then agreed. "Oui, Harry. Both of us." She positioned herself on the other side of the cup. All her weight on her good ankle. "On three"

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three!"

They both reached out, but Fleur pulled back at the last moment and smiled, saying "You win, Harry!" Harry saw her smiling face as he was suddenly pulled away.

He knew this was sport key and it left him flat on his back. He was no longer at Hogwarts, he was somewhere else. Was this still part of the Tournament?

Suddenly, his scar flared up and caused him more pain than he thought possible. It was like a red hot poker was being pushed through his head. Slowly. He screamed until his voice could no longer produce sound. Then, he dimly saw a flash of red light, and he collapsed.

— **Dance of Death** —

**Riddle Estate Cemetery**

" ** _Enervate!"_**

Harry slowly opened his eyes. He quickly realized he was bound head to toe in ropes and propped against a headstone. He recognised the man stooped over him. Peter Pettigrew. The disgusting traitor had forced a gag into his mouth. As Harry began to realise he was in trouble, he saw the cup to the side lying forgotten on the ground. He slowly realised there were two others in the area.

A disgusting tiny creature with a 'snake like' face propped up against an enormous snake. The tiny creature began speaking… "Ah, our hero awakens. Welcome to my birthday party, Harry Potter. Or should I say, _Re-Birthday_ party?"

Harry suddenly realised who it was. Voldemort had regained some kind of pathetic little form. Pettigrew walked over to a huge stone cauldron and began adding ingredients and stirring patterns. Harry forced himself to watch the entire thing in case he needed to report out on the potion. Most of the ingredients he didn't recognise. Still, he'd be able to describe it well enough. After nearly thirty minutes, Pettigrew appeared to be satisfied that it was simmering and stable. He looked both scared and excited.

Harry glanced back at Voldemort to see the huge snake flicking its tongue in his face. He was both repulsed and terrified. He wanted to curse at the creature, but couldn't due to the gag. His scar was still aching. Less intense than before, but still constant piercing pain.

Pettigrew spoke in his squeaky voice, "Master, everything is ready." The cauldron he was tending was bubbling and throwing off sparks. It smelled like death.

Voldemort then smiled. It was a lipless and repulsive smile. "Excellent. Let's begin. You should rejoice Harry, you get a front row seat to the rebirth of the greatest Wizard to ever live."

Pettigrew then lifted and dropped the tiny Voldemort into the mixture. Harry said a silent prayer that the vile thing would drown. But he knew it wouldn't.

Then, Pettigrew began to chant. " _Bone of the Father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"_

The grave under Harry buckled and opened. A fine mist came out of it and drifted into the cauldron. It instantly began hissing and bubbling madly. Slowly, it turned blue.

Pettigrew pulled out a sharp bladed curved dagger and recited the next verse, " _Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master!"_

With a vicious slash, Pettigrew sliced off his own right hand. He screamed and wailed horribly. The hand dropped into Cauldron and it flared even more. It was now a becoming a bright red.

Finally, Pettigrew staggered over to Harry. He then thrust the dagger into the crook of his right arm. Harry gasped in pain as he began bleeding freely from the wound. Pettigrew collected the blood in a vial and staggered back to the cauldron.

Pettigrew chanted the final verse, "Blood of the enemy, forcefully taken, you will resurrect your foe!" He then poured Harry's blood into the cauldron.

The liquid in the cauldron turned a bright white. Completely spent, Pettigrew fell over, grasping the stump where his right hand once had been. The cauldron continued frothing and sending off smoke and sparks. Then, the outline of a man began to form in the billowing smoke coming out of the cauldron.

Harry suddenly felt his scar explode once more in blistering pain. Purest agony. Worse even than when he arrived in the cemetery. He felt an unbelievable pulling against his 'pattern', all that made him who he is. His very soul and his magic. The pull was centered on his scar, like his very soul was being pulled through a key hole. He slowly became aware of his mother's presence. Holding him back. Pulling him free from the grip of the vile shard in his scar.

He felt like he was caught in a massive tug of war between the shard of Voldemort and his mum. They both were trying to claim him. The soul shard in his scar wanted to extract all of his spirit and magic to feed to the ritual. His mum was holding him back. He screamed in agony the entire time. There was no respite to the pain.

Suddenly, be began to feel a sharp and terrible tearing right where his scar was. He could feel the shard of Voldemort tearing free from his own pattern, inch by agonising inch. It was desperate to reach and become one with its master.

It had tendrils that had spread throughout his body, Harry knew it had expanded this year, but he didn't realise just how much it had encroached and insinuated itself into his own pattern. The tearing was across his entire being. Then, just when he thought he couldn't bear another moment, the shard tore free in a massive explosion of pain. It was like having the largest and most painful boil squeezed until it exploded. Only his whole body was the boil and the pain was beyond belief.

After the foreign presence was torn free, Harry just collapsed. He knew his face was covered in his own blood and gore. His eyes ached, his throat was raw, and he felt like his head had been split in two. But even more, he felt a rush of relief. He felt a clarity of mind that he had never dreamt possible. Once the pain cleared, he would be… clean. Free of the taint that had been forced on him… He vaguely realised he had passed out and was only semi-conscious.

Slowly, he came back to pain and reality. He struggled to open his eyes as they were matted shut with his own blood. It was all over his face. There were numerous robed figures in masks. Voldemort was berating them, but Harry's ears were ringing too loudly to hear the details. He did catch the names of a few. McNair, Avery, and Malfoy. Always that damned Malfoy. The Father is just like his rotten son. Worse, even.

Now, while they were distracted, he would free himself and escape. He tried to focus and use a bit of wandless magic, but when he tried to access his magic, it felt like he was swallowing broken glass. OK, no magic. He had to escape quickly, but how? Slowly, he remembered his ring that turned into a knife. He slowly converted it to its small hooked form and began cutting the ropes. It was just so slow. Focus on the blade. Faster… faster… faster. Squint your eyes and act like you're still unconscious.

Then Voldemort turned back to him. "Ah, our guest of honour has awakened. My friends and followers, look toward our esteemed guest. The boy you all thought had defeated me. Look at him, pathetically rolling in the dirt. Hoping to go unnoticed, like the weak and helpless insect that he is."

There were chuckles and laughter. Harry kept focusing on the ropes. 'Show no fear!'

Voldemort then looked at Pettigrew, "Free him and give him his wand. Today, you will duel me, Harry Potter. Will you die like your father, proud and with your back straight? Or will you perish like a pathetic half-blood mongrel, fit only to be destroyed? We shall see."

Pettigrew then waved Harry's own wand and freed him. Harry noted that Peter now had a silver hand. When had that happened? It didn't matter. Look for an opening. Look and wait. Then, Pettigrew tossed his wand in front of him.

Harry knew that he had failed to use his wandless magic. With the wand… maybe… He reached out and realised his arm had been sliced open at the point where the upper arm attaches to the wrist. Right in the crook. His arm was covered in blood. He had trouble holding the wand. No worries, he was just as good with his left hand.

Just as he grasped his wand, he heard "Crucio!" and was overcome with intense agony and pain. When he thought he couldn't take it anymore, it stopped. Catching his breath, he was treated to Voldemort's taunts.

"That was rather pathetic, Harry. Apparently, they don't teach _dancing_ at Hogwarts." The surrounding death eaters all began laughing mockingly at him. "Let's try once more, Harry. **_Crucio_**!"

Harry twisted and screamed as loud as his damaged voice would let him. After an eternity, it ended. His ears were ringing too hard to hear the taunts he knew were directed his way.

This was repeated a third time as well. Soon, Harry was barely conscious. The pain was now a constant white hot ache. He couldn't stop trembling from the effects of the curse. Slowly, he picked up his wand with his shaking hand, and managed to stand.

Voldemort looked both pleased and surprised. "Good, Harry! _Excellent_. You choose to die like your father. I'm actually quite proud of you. I had _hoped_ you would not disappoint. Now, let's do this the proper way. Do you know how to duel, Harry? First, we salute one another, then we bow." He made a quick wand salute, then a slight mocking bow.

"Now, _you_ Harry. Salute and bow. I won't ask again, Harry. ' **Imperio**!'"

Harry suddenly felt a wave of comfort, warm and safe. He just needed to bow. To relax and follow orders… _No_. He would never give into this man. " **No!"** He croaked it out with as much maliciousness as he could manage. "I'll **never** bow to _you_!"

Voldemort just smiled. "Never is a _very_ long time, Harry. However, for you, never is not so long. _You_ , only have a short time left."

Harry needed to get the wand away from Voldemort. Then he might be able to get to the cup. Hopefully it would take him back. Only Pettigrew was near it. Harry quickly flicked he's wand at Voldemort and shouted " **Expelliarmus!"**

Harry felt an electric jolt followed by a tearing sensation from deep in his core, the pain was horrible. But nothing happened. All the Deatheaters began laughing. Voldemort was still smiling.

"Ah, I see we may have damaged your core, Harry. Significantly. In fact, I'm more than a little surprised you are still alive. I suspect your mother's protection may have delayed your death.

"Speaking of your mother, family reunions are so touching. Let's not delay yours any longer…. **Avada Kedavra!** "

Just as the green flame burst forth, Harry's wand erupted on its own. Harry suddenly realized, he had a chance. He held his wand for dear life. Suddenly, the two of them were surrounded by a golden dome. The energy between the wands was like a power line. Harry saw a bulge of power in the 'line' slowly moving toward him. His wand started to heat up and vibrate. Somehow, he instinctively knew he had to push the 'bulge' back.

Harry focused all his might and the bulge slowly stopped moving his way. Eventually, it began slowly moving toward Voldemort. Slowly. Inch by inch. His wand was no longer vibrating as badly, but he could feel his own core shredding itself under the strain. He may never use magic again, but he was going out like a man. He would make his parents proud. He would win this duel _no matter what_! He focused through the pain and kept forcing the bulge further away. Further toward his enemy.

Then, he saw something he never thought he would see. _Fear_ was on Voldemort's face. Fear and shock. The man was losing the battle and couldn't believe it. This gave Harry all the encouragement he needed to make a massive effort and shift the bulge all the way to Voldemort's wand. His pattern was shredding itself under the strain. It felt like white hot hooks ripping and shredding him terribly.

Once the 'bulge' touched Voldemort's wand, it reacted violently to the impact. Sparks flew out the other wand and the terrible man looked terrified. First, a 'smoke hand' flew out of the wand and evaporated. Harry thought he heard Pettigrew scream.

Next, a ghostly Grey haired woman came out and spoke to him. She gave him encouragement and implored him not to give up. Harry didn't know who she was, but he suspected it was one of Voldemort's victims. Then, an older man with a cane emerged from the wand. He said something about Harry being a Wizard and asked to be avenged against the monster that had murdered him.

Slowly, another figure began to emerge. He knew immediately who it was. She came to his side immediately, "Harry, my dear child. Hold on just a little longer. Your father will be here soon." Harry had dreamt about his mum his whole life, but to see her spirit, while he was awake… It was amazing. Then, his father's spirit slowly emerged.

James Potter's spectral form glided to his son, "Keep it up, Harry. Just a little longer. I am _so proud_ of you. When you get the chance, break the connection and dive for the cup. You can do it son, I know you can. We'll hold him off as long as we can. The other spirits all nodded.

His mother shared a brief look with him and said, "We will always love you, Harry."

His father then said, "Ok, Harry, look for the cup, then break the connection and dive for it. It's no more than fifteen feet away. Ready, set, **go**!"

Harry broke the connection and sprinted as fast as his injured knee would allow. He heard Voldemort yell, "Stop him! Stun him! He is mine to kill!"

Seeing the cup so close, he dove for it as he saw multiple red signatures of the stunning charm shoot over his head. Pettigrew didn't have a wand, but he tried to intercept Harry. Harry made a quick decision and grabbed Peter's ankle right before he grasped the cup. He heard Pettigrew gasp as a stunner struck him by accident. And they were gone.

— **Dance of Death** —

**Hogwarts**

**Just Outside the Maze**

Harry suddenly appeared with the unconscious Peter Pettigrew. He immediately collapsed. He didn't know how long he had been gone, but he suspected it had been at least an hour. Maybe significantly more as it was now quite dark. How long had he been unconscious in the cemetery?

Bill rushed to his side. "Harry! _Someone get a healer_ , he's been hurt!" Fleur was there too, holding his head. He was safe. Safe. He was shaking like a leaf from the adrenalin, the injuries and the multiple Cruciatus curses he had been subjected to.

Harry cried out, "He's back! He resurrected himself! Voldemort's back!" And he slipped into unconsciousness.

He dimly heard Dumbledore shout out, "Apprehend that man!" Harry wondered if he meant Pettigrew or himself.

— **Dance of Death** —

When Harry awoke in the castle, he had a slight panic attack. He was in the Castle. Then he remembered the shard was now gone. Mr. Weasley was there with him. So was Bill. It was daylight outside. How long had he been here? He felt different. Was he really free? He reached up to touch his forehead and found most of his face wrapped in gauze.

Bill noticed him first. "Easy, Harry. Your face was pretty badly split open. Fortunately, we should be able to heal it as it was so fresh. Dumbledore will be here soon and you can tell him what you saw."

"Pettigrew! I brought him back with me! He was the one who resurrected Voldemort. He can prove Sirius' innocence…"

Bill lay his hand gently on Harry's shoulder. The calming effect was immediate. "We know, Harry. Dumbledore managed to capture both Pettigrew and the man impersonating Moody. Pettigrew is in holding and should give testimony tomorrow. We already have a statement given under veritaserum… It should be enough to let Sirius come back to Britain. Dumbledore has him under guard after what happened to Barty, Jr." Seeing Harry look inquisitively at him he added, "Don't worry about that now."

"How long was I unconscious?" He also wondered to himself, '…and who is Barty Jr.?'

"Harry, you were placed in a magically induced coma for over a week while your core settled down. The school year officially ended two days ago, the other students have all returned home."

"A week? Is Ginny OK? And Hermione? What about Fleur, is her foot alright?"

Bill gently placed his other hand on Harry's other shoulder to calm him down, "Everyone is fine, Harry. Fleur went back to France, but she'll be back soon." Harry noted a sparkle in his eye while he said this. "Hermione wanted to stay, but she had to go home. She left you a huge letter. Almost a book, really. Ginny also wanted to stay, but as with Hermione, the school rules forbid it. She also left you a letter. It's thick... but reasonable." He chuckled at that. "You have few other letters, but they'll keep."

"A week…" thinking a moment, Harry asked, "How much longer do I have to look like 'the mummy'? Seriously, how bad can it be?"

"We could see your skull in a few spots. But it was fresh enough that it won't scar. Dittany and Phoenix tears make a potent combination." Thinking a moment, Bill added, "Unfortunately, your original scar may fade, but it is too old to erase. Leave on the bandages for a few more days. You'll be glad you did."

"Thanks, Bill. It was really awful. I really thought I wasn't gonna make it. I'm _so_ glad Fleur didn't touch the cup. How did so many security failures happen, Bill? I mean, there are paintings everywhere…" Bill just nodded. Harry needed to process it all. "The shard in the scar, it's gone!" at least one good thing happened. Arthur looked at Harry curiously, but didn't comment. Bill already knew it was gone. He had aided Dumbledore in the original examination. One hundred percent removed.

Arthur had been watching his oldest son with pride. Bill was so amazing with Harry. He then came over, "Harry, is there anything I can get you?" He reached over and placed his hand on Harry's.

Arthur looked so concerned, it really touched Harry. Would the Dursleys be like this? Or would they revert back to their old selves?

"No thanks, Mr. Weasley. I'm good." Harry reflexively squeezed the kind man's hand. Would his father be like this? He actually saw his father! And his mum!

"Yes. Well, I'd better let Madame Pomfrey know you are awake." With a calm smile, he left.

Bill waited until his dad was out of the area, "We may only have a few minutes. Listen carefully, Harry. Sirius started the 'process'. All of Magical Britain is in turmoil. The man who was impersonating Moody was Crouch's son, Barty Crouch, Jr! A Deatheater who somehow escaped from Azkaban. He confessed to everything while under Veritaserum, but Fudge had him kissed by a Dementor before he could be interrogated by the DMLE. Dumbledore was both furious and terrified they would do the same to Pettigrew, so he has a few allies are watching him. Pettigrew, that is. Not Fudge. Word is, Lucius and his allies want Pettigrew killed before he can talk."

Bill paused a moment and then kept going, "Sirius has been hitting the old families up for all those Black family debts. The old pureblood families are scrambling. Afraid of Pettigrew, deeply indebted to the House of Black… Now even Fudge has been on the receiving end of the Black family lawyers. Total chaos. And yes, Ted Tonks has filed the paperwork for your custody."

Harry thought for a moment, then asked, "Do we need Dobby? To intercept the messages? Or maybe Pipsey?"

"Nope. Already done." Bill just smiled. Harry noted that Bill didn't seem happy, though.

"Bill, what's wrong?" Harry could tell he was holding something back.

Bill shook his head and forced a smile. "You are **safe** , Harry! That's _all that matters._ "

Harry thought that was a strange thing to say. "Bill, what aren't you telling me?"

Bill was quiet for a minute, then said, "Your magical core was damaged. I don't know how bad. We'll get through it."

Harry froze up. He remembered the tearing sensation when Voldemort pulled his shard back into himself. Then there was the way their wands locked and he had a feeling of his already torn and damaged core being further shredded. He said a silent prayer 'please let me heal!'

Soon, Arthur Weasley, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Mme. Pomfrey entered the infirmary and came over to Harry's bed. They all looked grim.

Harry didn't want to drag this out. He just blurted out, "How bad is it? How badly is my magic damaged?"

Albus closed his eyes a moment. McGonagall looked like she was on the verge of tears. Mme. Pomfrey just looked sad. Harry knew this was not a good sign.

Albus spoke first, "William, can you leave us for a moment?"

Harry blurted out, "No! Bill stays. You have your henchmen! I want my friend!"

Minerva almost cried at that. He viewed them as his enemies. To the child of James and Lily, She was just Albus' Henchman. A person he hated. And she knew he had good reason to feel that way. How did he see Poppy? Did he really hate them all? Looking at Albus, she saw he was just as pained by the comment as she was. Had it really gotten so bad?

Harry pressed on, "Madame Pomfrey, please tell me how bad it is. I trust **_you_**." Dumbledore and McGonagall flinched at that.

Madame Pomfrey kept her focus and responded, "Mr. Potter, I'm afraid the damage was beyond our ability to treat. Your core was shredded to a degree I've never seen. You cannot use magic. I'm not even sure how you managed to survive."

Harry closed his eyes. He was afraid of this. "Will it _ever_ heal?" He couldn't hide the desperation in his voice.

Madame Pomfrey winced and forced herself to say, "Probably not, Mr. Potter. Damage this extreme has never before been healed. Has never been survived, even." With a pained pause and a look of sadness, she added "Even Phoenix tears failed to restore your core. And there were _many_ Phoenix tears applied and ingested during your 'rest' period."

Albus Dumbledore added more sad truth, "Unfortunately, that also means you cannot be around active magic. It will cause you… pain and discomfort. This corner of the infirmary had to be especially charmed to repel outside magic. It is as close to a 'dead zone' as we can achieve within Hogwarts. In time, the discomfort should lessen."

Harry was quiet. Everyone was silent for what seemed like an eternity. Harry finally said the last words he thought he would ever say.

"You should have let me die."

— **Dance of Death** —

Harry stayed another week to heal. Eventually, he could be around active magic without it causing him pain, it only caused a mild discomfort. He had not spoken a word since he found out he was no longer able to use magic. Dumbledore had to keep his wand due to some ministry order that underage wizards cannot own a wand if they are not capable of magic. Dumbledore assured him it was temporary and they were working on reversing the law. Harry just sat silently. What's the point in owning a wand if you can't use it? It would just be a reminder of his loss.

The Goblins had taken the cup and it was proudly displayed at Gringotts. To them, this was an enormous victory. Unfortunately, Harry soon learned that Goblins are only nice to wizards as long as it furthers their goals. Gringotts had distanced itself once it became known that Harry was no longer able to use magic. A congratulations message was delivered from Ragnok, but not further offers of aid or support. He had become an asset that was to be written off. Bill had warned Harry that Goblins are never _really_ your friends, but it still stung a bit.

Eventually, the bandages came off and he looked… like himself. The scar had actually faded to a point it had never been before. A thin white line. The new damage from the cemetery must have been healed, because Harry didn't see any other marks. Dittany was wonderful, but Harry suspected it was the phoenix tears that went the extra mile. And maybe his mother's protection.

Speaking of which, why hadn't he been able to access his dreamscape? He thought it would be easier now. Had that been destroyed as well? Was he avoiding it subconsciously? So many questions. He really just wanted to be left alone. To fade away into nothingness.

While Harry could now be around magic, it was highly advised that he avoid too much contact. Certainly no apparition, portkey, or Floo travel. Getting Harry back to London without magic was a challenge. The Hogwarts express was extremely magical. Eventually, an ancient muggle train was placed on the tracks in Hogsmeade and used to transport him. He rode in silence. Bill, Pipsey, and Dobby rode along. Mr. Weasley too. But it was a quiet and sombre ride.

As they pulled into the station at platform 9-3/4, Harry said his good byes to his compartment mates. It was the first he had spoken in over two weeks. Bill promised to be in touch. He was going to take time off and try to work with him. Arthur asked Harry if he would come to the Burrow for his Birthday. Apparently is was only a little over a week away. Harry said he would ask the Dursleys and send a note with Hedwig. He knew he should be happy, but he just couldn't shake the numbness.

He looked over and saw the Dursleys waiting on him. Uncle Vernon had lost a lot of weight, but Dudley had really transformed himself. He'd always be a bit thick, but he now looked like a huge Rugby player. He made Crabbe and Goyle seem less intimidating.

Harry tentatively walked forward. Now that he had no magic, he was completely defenceless. Would they hurt him? As he approached, Dudley quickly walked up to him and pulled him into a bear hug. "Thank god you're back, Harry! Thank god you're all right!" Despite himself, Harry started to cry. He hated himself for it, but he just couldn't stop.

Harry was shocked to have Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia come over and warmly embraced him. They were clearly upset. Harry had written from time to time throughout the year, telling them about how bad things had been this year.

Apparently, they had been profoundly affected. As Harry considered it all, he realised he had made a mistake and never told them how to send letters to Hogwarts. He found out from Hermione how to reach them, but they didn't know how to reach him.

Well, summer was well under way. Maybe the Dursleys and he could work things out this year. Harry suddenly realised that maybe he was better off away from magic. He had no intention of returning to Hogwarts. Maybe just being plain old Harry Potter would be alright. Had magic ever brought him anything but pain? Not what he wanted, but he'd make the most of it.

As of today, no more magic.

— **Dance of Death** —

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I skipped over a good bit of the events around the fourth task. It just didn't seem worth it to focus on what was done so well in canon and just repeat it. Harry's fourth year seemed to mark the point where the story became dark and dangerous. This story is the same. Voldemort is back and Harry's world will never be the same.
> 
> Almost all of the material in the cemetery was direct from JK Rowling's book. As was pretty much the whole story. She really knocked it out of the park with Harry's fourth year.
> 
> A few key differences:
> 
> The Horcrux was consumed in the ritual. Voldemort does not have immortality, he has 7 lives. One for each Horcrux.
> 
> Cedric lived. I know why he was killed - it mattered a lot in canon. I don't think it matters so much in this story.
> 
> I didn't bother detailing all the interrogations and Fudge flipping out. We will see this from Harry's point of view and some things are happening in the background. I really don't want this to be a 300K word story...
> 
> Harry lost his magic ( for now). All part of the plan.
> 
> This chapter begins a new chapter in Harry's life. His magic is damaged to a point that he can't use it. He cannot enter his dreamscape. He has very little will to go on. Fortunately, the Dursleys have taken him in and, without the Horcrux, they seem to want to make amends.
> 
> Next chapter: Livin' La Vida Muggle
> 
> It will be featuring Harry coping with a life without magic. The story is far from over, but Harry is so depressed he can't see any future for himself. Hopefully his muggle family can pull him out of his depression. He will spend time doing Muggle things and getting to know the Dursley family. Oh, and Sirius Black, Dumbledore, and others will visit him. Harry will have a number of decisions to make and it will affect him more than he knows.


	20. Chapter 20

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fifth year will begin the major split from canon. Many of the events that happened in canon will still occur, but not necessarily in a way that Harry knows about or is affected by.**

**Welcome to Harry's fifth year.**

**This chapter begins a new page in Harry's life. Voldemort's resurrection in the cemetery consumed the Horcrux in Harry's scar. But when he ripped it out to rejuvenate himself, he shredded Harry's own magical core. Harry's magic is damaged to a point that he can't use it. For a visual, think of an immense legal document. Now run it through an industrial shredder. Then, for good measure, run the pieces through again sideways. You might be able to piece together a few strands, but you're not going to be able to** ** _really_** **understand the document.**

**With his magical pattern so shredded, Harry cannot enter his dreamscape or even fly a broom reliably. He has very little will to go on. Fortunately, the Dursleys have taken him in and without the Horcrux, they seem to want to make amends.**

**Parseltongue is designated with the § symbol and italic script. For example:** **_§"Parseltongue"§_**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.**

**Chapter 20 - Living La Vida Muggle**

— **Dance of Death** —

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey, England**

**The Dursley Home**

**The morning after he left Hogwarts**

Harry slowly opened his eyes. He was back in his room at the Dursley's. The bed was firm, the pillow was plush, and the blankets were warm. What had woken him up? Then he heard the harsh sounds of Dudley snoring. Sitting up, Harry saw his cousin, lounging in a chair in the corner of his room. Why was he there? Weird.

Harry noted that it was early in the morning and still dark. He suddenly realised he could see fine. Apparently, he could still shift into his 'owl vision'. That was a plus. Getting up, he pulled a blanket over Dudley and gently forced his pillow under the large boy's head. He'd ask him why he came into his room later. Harry crept down stairs for a little private time. It was a cool morning, so he grabbed his robe and slippers. On his way out, he picked up the letters that had been given to him.

After finding out that he had lost his magic, Harry had been too depressed to read the letters from his friends. There were so many of them. He had even had one arrive the night he returned home. It was from Susan Bones of all people. He'd deal with that one later. Settling into a chair, Harry flipped on a light, adjusted his glasses, and began reading.

The first one was from Hermione. It was tremendous. For some reason, Harry felt like he should be highlighting certain passages and taking notes. It was not an 'easy read'. As Harry finished the ninth page, he realised there was a cup of Earl Grey with a lemon wedge steaming away on the table beside him.

Smiling, Harry said, "Pipsey!" then "Dobby!"

His two friend appeared in front of him. Harry got down on his knees and pulled them into a big hug. Somehow, seeing these two loyal friends, meant the world to Harry.

"I'm so glad to see you two! I thought you wouldn't be allowed to see me now that I'm just a Muggle."

The two elves looked at each other, then back at Harry. Pipsey spoke first, "Yous not a Muggle. Yous still has lots a magic." Dobby nodded beside her.

Harry ran his hand through his hair and responded, "Well, I was told my magic was shredded. That I couldn't use it…"

Dobby sadly said, "Yes, Master Harry's magic has been damaged. But it's still there. And we's still tied to you." At that he perked up with a huge but silly grin.

This made sense. Harry was able to still 'feel' magic. If anything, he could _feel_ magic better than before. At first, it had caused him to have painful headaches and he had to avoid it. Eventually, the pain subsided, but not the sensitivity. He also still had his owl vision. The magic was there, it was just in tatters. Like having a third arm that couldn't be controlled.

With a smile to his friends, he settled into the chair and went back to Hermione's letter. Ten minutes later, he was done. She was a dear friend who was deeply worried about him. Apparently, word had gotten out that his magic was destroyed and he wouldn't return to Hogwarts, but she still wanted to see him and keep in touch. She included something amazing in that letter. Her telephone number. No owls needed…

Next was Ginny's letter. It was only seven pages, thank goodness. She wrote about how Gryffindor house had requested he be re-instated but reversing the 'declaration of Eiectio' was not easily done. So, he was made an 'honorary' Gryffindor. Harry scowled at that idea. He'd like to tell them where they could stick their 'reversal'. But Ginny seemed happy, so why spoil it.

She talked about how she didn't care about his magic, that she just wanted him to be safe and happy. She told him she would keep and wear the blazer button and tie pin he had given her. She also wanted to see him over the summer. Dumbledore had warned them that the Burrow was too magical and may be painful for him, but she hoped they could entertain him in the back yard for his birthday if he wasn't up to the house. She ended the note with a promise to write more.

Ginny's note made him happy. He had just assumed she would move on now that he was… less than before. He had other letters from Neville, Colin, Luna, and even Ron. Neville told him not to give up, that he believed Harry could heal and return. Luna didn't even mention his injuries, she just congratulated him on his victory and thanked him for being nice to her. She gave him a lifetime subscription to the Quibbler as a part of the prize package for winning the tournament. Harry didn't remember that being mentioned, but he enjoyed the Quibbler, so… great.

Then he got to Ron's letter. Apparently, Ron wanted to apologise and express his sympathy for Harry losing his magic. Guilt, guilt, more guilt, blah, blah, blah… In the end, Harry just screwed it up and tossed it in the bin.

The next few letters were the same as Ron's, but from other people. Some he knew, others he didn't even remember having conflict with. They all were ' _so very sorry'_. The bin was rapidly filling up with crumpled letters. He had no intention of forgiving anyone. Except the Dursley's.

A letter from Katie was nice. She was sending him a weekly Shepherd's pie for the summer. Apparently, she found out that he had been purchasing them from the restaurant. It was a nice letter. Yes, it had the standard embarrassing apologies and well wishes, but she had stood up for him when it mattered. He decided to keep it and write back.

He briefly looked at Susan's letter and decided to just send it back. Unopened. Hopefully she would get the message. Why put himself through more angst.

As Harry finished collecting the 'keeper' letters and tossing the 'discards', he heard the Dursley's moving about upstairs and decided to make breakfast. In the past he was forced to, now he actually wanted to. He would introduce them to Pipsey and Dobby at some point, but not today. But, until his Aunt and Uncle came down stairs, he could use their help in preparing a big breakfast.

— **Dance of Death** —

**Breakfast table**

The Dursley's came down to a massive feast. At first they seemed embarrassed, but as it became apparent Harry wanted to cook, everyone relaxed. At first, the mood was kind of quiet, then uncle Vernon broke the silence.

"We got a copy of that wizard newspaper before we picked you up. The Quibbler, I think it's called."

Harry groaned. Here we go, he braced himself for his uncles pending explosion… but it didn't come. He noticed Uncle Vernon seemed to be chuckling. All the Dursleys were.

Dudley started laughing loudly, "I want a subscription, Harry! That's some funny stuff!"

The next twenty minutes were spent discussing the Rotfang conspiracy of all things. Aunt Petunia went and brought the copy to the table. She never allowed newspapers at the table, but for this, she made an exception. Once the shock wore off, Harry admitted to being friends with Luna Lovegood, daughter of the editor. He promised to expand the subscription to bring in two extra copies.

Harry sipped his tea and wondered, did the Lovegood's have back issues as well? And why hadn't Uncle Vernon gone into orbit at the thought of 'magic' in his home? The man was actually kind of charming. Was this how he was at work? He was a vice president of sales at Grunnings, that implied he could turn on the charm. Still, it seemed odd to have him actually relax and laugh. It was so surprising how much different the Dursleys were, now that the scar had been drained and no longer projected its 'poison'. What had it been like for them, living with that malice for so many years?

After breakfast, Harry cleared the table and went out to 'his' garden to tend the roses. The morning air, the smell of soil and roses. His worries slowly eased away as he tilled and pruned and pulled weeds. One group of the weeds were actually mint and he decided to replant them elsewhere. If only he could spend the entire day in the garden, just merrily toiling away.

Harry closed his eyes and extended his perceptions, trying to connect with the flowers. He definitely felt _something_. It was familiar, like a sense of déjà vu or a barely remembered song. He hadn't expected the level of connection he had before his injuries, but he had hoped for more. Roses were one of the few plants Harry felt a personal connection with. Their innate beauty attracts while their thorns repel. Such a complex plant. Was he the same way? Always attracting attention, then repelling those who respond? Was that healthy?

After about an hour, Aunt Petunia soon joined him. She handed him a straw hat to keep from burning. It had a large brim and was quite effective at keeping the sun off his neck and ears. Soon, the two fell into a nice rhythm and worked quietly together. Watching his aunt, he came to admire the way she worked. In the years he had been away, she had obviously learned quite a bit about gardening. Given how well 'his' roses looked, she had really been dedicated. They just needed a tiny bit of pruning and weeding in the flower beds. Dudley came out and mowed the lawn while they worked. Uncle Vernon was likely sleeping in his chair.

After they were done, Harry was filthy, but happy. His aunt was still relatively clean, leaving Harry to the dirty work he so enjoyed. Still, the woman knew her plants. He went up to shower and Aunt Petunia made a mid-morning snack. Soon they were all relaxing in the family room. Aunt Petunia made lemonade and biscuits. It all seemed like a normal Saturday morning.

— **Dance of Death** —

**The next week**

Over the course of the next week, Harry learned that he talked in his sleep and Dudley had occasionally come in to watch over him. He apparently cried out in pain quite often. All the Dursleys were upset by it, but they didn't talk openly about it. He knew the nightmare – he was back in the cemetery.

Bill had stopped by a few times and the Dursleys seemed to like him. He always brought word on Sirius and the wizarding world. Apparently, Sirius was being granted a trial in one month. The lawsuits had brutalised the pureblood families financially and Fudge was eager to make amends. The minister had a hand in Sirius' failure to receive a trial and he was personally being targeted in numerous lawsuits.

Sirius had apparently held off on going after Dumbledore through legal means. He didn't want to distract the man from resisting Voldemort. When Harry became upset over that, Bill reminded him that the reason for going after Dumbledore was to distract him. The man had more than enough distractions now to suffice. The ministry was trying to make him out to be crazy as a loon.

Bill also explained how Harry returning from the cemetery with Peter Pettigrew had huge ramifications. The man had sung like a canary under Veritaserum and Sirius' innocence was no longer in question. Almost as good was that he implicated other Pureblood families and cast doubt on their innocence. Amelia Bones had made it her personal mission to wring every bit of truth out of the man she could. While she couldn't re-try the Deatheaters that had bribed their way out of punishment, she seemed determined to publicly declare them as guilty. This would impact their ability to quietly garner support for Voldemort. Harry recalled that the Bones family had a major axe to grind with the Deatheaters. It had been a long time since he and Susan talked, but she had been orphaned just like him and once admitted that seeing so many Deatheaters walk free had deeply offended her.

Fudge had fabricated a tale where Peter Pettigrew had been insane and had tried to destroy the house of Potter through some 'ill thought out plan'. The whole cemetery ritual was just a way to torture the 'boy who lived' and fulfil his own fantasies of power and control. Harry was tricked and Confunded by the 'mass murderer' into believing you-know-who had returned.

Fudge had made a public statement that said Pettigrew had been the only one behind the kidnapping and attack on Harry. To give his account credibility, he added that Pettigrew had betrayed the Potters and framed his friend. He had tricked the entire wizarding world into believing he was dead and Sirius had taken the fall. Tricking a fourteen year old boy was child's play to such a 'master manipulator'.

Once it was out, there was no taking that back. He was so desperate to make Harry's kidnapping and injuries seem like the work of Peter Pettigrew, that he had gone on record as saying Pettigrew betrayed the Potters. Now Fudge couldn't say Sirius was a part of the betrayal that killed Harry's parents without retracting his statement. Bill seemed to think it was planned. A way to get Sirius off his back. Fudge was way too cunning to make a statement like that so casually. Harry realised yet again how much he hated politics.

The Order of the Phoenix had reformed and Bill had joined up. As had his parents, Remus Lupin, and others. They were working diligently to counter the Deatheater threat before it gained ground. When asked about his independence from Dumbledore, Bill just said to be patient. Once Sirius was found innocent, there would be no need for extreme actions. Patience was not something Harry was good at. Harry sensed that Bill wasn't telling him everything, but he decided not to push.

Harry called Hermione every day, it was good to hear his friend's voice. The Grangers were going to France for three weeks before school started back up, but she made plans to meet up with Harry before they went on holiday. Uncle Vernon invited her father to play golf. Apparently, Dan loved to play and Hermione had been taught to play as well. They would be a foursome. Harry had new golf clubs that _begged_ to be taken out. Plans were made.

Harry had managed to reply to all the letters he had not destroyed. He was scheduled to go to the Burrow the Saturday after his birthday, August 5. He wasn't sure what he would say to Ron or the twins, but he really wanted to see Ginny. He wrote her every day, but it wasn't the same as seeing her. Their time apart had only made his feelings for her more intense.

Harry had spent more time in the garden with his aunt, and she opened up about his mum. How they used to get in all kinds of trouble. Their parents were artists and they lived off the beaten path, but that just let them go exploring. Their father, was also called 'Harry', and he was a writer. Their mother was a painter. Petunia even had a few of her paintings in the house. The Evans home was a loving household full of laughter and happiness.

Lily was the dreamer of the two. Always looking at clouds and picking flowers. Petunia admitted to being the more serious sister. She seemed a bit sad about that in the re-telling. They used to visit a local restaurant called 'Bert's' and have milkshakes. Petunia described a wonderful picture of their life before Lily went to Hogwarts. Harry knew she was romanticising it a bit, but it made her happy. He also realised she never went beyond Lily's tenth birthday. That was when they had their falling out.

Working in the garden, Harry was able to slowly re-connect with the roses. It was not as powerful as before his injury, but he could tell what they were 'feeling'. He knew which ones were getting too much water or too little. Which were the healthiest and which needed aerated soil and fertilizer. He could sense their roots and where they intertwined. He supposed he could reform the connections because he had used his own blood in helping them grow. He knew this level of plant empathy was a shadow of what he had once possessed, but it gave him encouragement.

Luna had sent over a large box of 'Out of Print' Quibblers. The Dursleys just couldn't get enough. Harry had paid the full price for all and looked forward to future issues. The Quibbler may be a bit fanciful and less grounded in reality, but he greatly preferred it to the Daily Prophet. He did have to warn the Dursleys not to share the magazine outside of the home. It was still part of the wizarding world and had to be kept on the 'down-low'.

Harry developed a fascination with Oak trees. Even he knew it was far from a normal attraction, but he just loved them. Like roses, he researched everything about them. He had visited every Oak tree in the area and evaluated them all. Oddly, he always felt like they were lacking in some obscure way. Still, he convinced Petunia to plant a sapling behind the house, and he cared for it obsessively.

He had even started trying to build up the motorcycle his uncle had given him, but he was hopelessly lost. Writing to Sirius, he shared his frustrations in building the motorcycle and Sirius offered to help him when his name was cleared. Apparently, he had re-built a Triumph Bonneville Corsair years ago. Harry shared this with Dudley and they both were relieved. It was a nice gesture, but Uncle Vernon didn't know a thing about motorcycle repair or maintenance. Much less re-building one. Harry and Dudley decided it could wait.

The golf outing with the Grangers was quickly approaching and Harry was beyond excited to see his friend. But the closer the date came, the more he thought about the outside world. The fact that Voldemort was out there, looking for him. And he had no magic. He knew he had to do something to prepare himself. Over dinner, he decided it was time to start.

Harry looked at his Uncle and asked, "Uncle Vernon, would it be ok if I take some self-defence classes? I need to be able to defend myself." He had been thinking about how vulnerable he was without magic. Given that Voldemort was back he thought he should at least know how to fight.

Uncle Vernon gave him an odd look. "Why do you need to defend yourself, Harry?" he then got a dark look and gazed at his son. "Are Piers and the boys giving you a hard time?" A tense silence hung in the air.

Harry shook his head, "No, sir. That's not it…"

Dudley realised everyone was looking at him and snapped out of whatever he had been thinking about. "What? What's not it?" Seeing Harry shaking his head and his dad staring at him he added, "Sorry dad, I wasn't paying attention."

Uncle Vernon rolled his eyes, "Keep your head out of the clouds, son… One more time, are Piers and the boys giving Harry a hard time?"

Dudley smiled and cracked his first two knuckles. "Nope." Harry realised that Crabbe and Goyle were not the biggest fourteen-year olds he knew.

Dudley had really gotten big and seemed kind of intimidating. Now that Harry thought about it, Piers hadn't been around much. Maybe Dudley had out grown him. And his bullying ways. Good for him.

Harry spoke, "I was thinking about taking Karate. In case any… bullies from school find me. I want to be ready." He used the word 'bullies' so no one would freak out. Saying 'mass murderers' or 'children of mass murderers' just didn't seem right for dinner conversation.

Uncle Vernon scrunched up his face. "Karate? Grown men running around in pyjamas, screaming and kicking at each other? Absolutely not! We'll teach you how to fight like a man, Harry… Dudley, take Harry to the gym with you next week. Lou will toughen you up!"

Dudley seemed to perk up, "Yeah, Harry. Men don't fight in Pyjamas. They don't kick each other, either. Not _real_ men anyway." He paused for a moment and scoffed, "that's just one step away from kickin' a bloke in the bits! Oh, _hell_ no."

Petunia jumped at that, "I'll have none of that language at the table!"

Harry didn't mention that boxers fight in 'boxer shorts', not much better than pyjamas. Well, if he couldn't take Karate or Kung-fu, he'd settle for boxing. It had done wonders for Dudley, that's for sure.

Dudley went on to talk about his boxing and how he hoped to place in the national competitions next year. He talked about the different trainers at school and how Lou really was the best he had trained under. Harry could tell he was selling it for his sake. It might be fun.

He became aware that his uncle was still looking at him.

"Harry, tell me about these 'bullies' at school." There was an intensity in Uncle Vernon's face. Like he was trying to seem casual, but was broiling under the surface.

What had he put in the letters…? So many had been written in haste and just as a way to vent and deal with the way he was being treated. Finally, he decided to just come clean. It took over two hours, but he hit the high points. By the time he was done, Dudley was out of his chair pacing around with his hands in fists. Uncle Vernon was purple and Aunt Petunia was telling him to take his blood pressure medicine. She was visibly upset.

Dudley muttered something about getting his hands on 'that fancy boy'. Harry knew 'fancy boy' was Draco. Dudley seemed to hate Draco beyond comprehension.

Vernon shook his head in disbelief. "Casting spells at you in the halls? Putting you in the hospital? Making vile threats to young girls… Where were the teachers? Why aren't the police involved?"

Harry tried to nip it in the bud, "Well, I think they were all under the same curse you guys were under. They just went a lot further."

Aunt Petunia tuned him out, "The same kind of bullies used to torment my sister. They called her a 'Mudblood' just because our parents were _normal_. I used to console her while she cried. That Severus Snape boy was the worst." She seemed to stare off for a moment, "Lily could never see it, but I could. I saw the way he acted when she wasn't around. The only good thing that came from his using _that word_ was that she saw him for who he _really_ is. A vile and disgusting human being."

Harry realised she knew a lot about his mum. Thinking about the years they spent together and the confidences they must have shared… This wasn't the place, but he resolved to talk about it with her over gardening.

Back to the point, "Snape is a Professor now. He never defends anyone or prevents any bullying behaviour. My friend, Hermione, the one with the Dentist parents, was cursed to have her teeth grow down to her waist. He made fun of her and refused to punish the one who did it."

Dudley practically exploded, "It was that fancy boy! Right? Right, Harry? It had to have been Malfoy!" Seeing Harry nod, Dudley just stormed off. Harry was… intimidated. Dudley seemed a lot bigger when he was angry. What on earth had he put in his letters that riled the large boy up like that?

— **Dance of Death** —

**Surrey Golf Club**

**July 29, 1995**

Harry and Vernon arrived early at the Golf Club. Vernon had a new set of Titleist DCI irons and Harry had his 'never been played' Ping Eye2+ BeCu irons. They had a copper colour to them and Uncle Vernon had said it was a softer metal and would let him 'shape his shots' better. Harry had no idea what the man was talking about. Still, he thought they looked cool.

They went into the club and got Harry a set of shoes. Coming out, they saw the Grangers. Harry waved to Hermione and the two teens rushed forward to see each other. Hermione pulled Harry into a hug. Dan Granger and Vernon quickly joined the teens.

Introductions were made and they all agreed to go to the Driving range to warm up. Dan and Vernon were chatting it up over the different political parties and seemed to be having fun. Harry noted that Dan had an impressive drive. Vernon wasn't bad either.

Hermione was staring at Harry's forehead. "Harry, your scar is so much lighter than before. Honestly, I can barely see it."

Harry smiled at her. "Yeah, it faded after… well, after the cemetery." He had written her about that and shared most of the details. He really didn't want to talk about it, but he wanted his friends to know what had happened.

After a moment, she changed the subject. "So, golf. I didn't know you played, Harry. I've had lessons for a few years, but I'm really not that good."

"I've never played before, but it seems simple enough. Hit the ball and get it in the hole, right?"

Hermione just smirked and pulled out her 7 iron. She hit five balls. Three were hit well and went soaring. They all seemed to move a bit from the left to the right. She referred to that as a fade or, of extreme, a slice. Two balls were hit 'fat' and resulted in a lot of grass flying in the air and the ball only going a short distance.

Harry knew he'd do well at this. His hand to eye coordination was _very_ good. He set the ball on the grass. Lined up his club the way Hermione had. Pulled the club back and swung with all his might. As he gazed forward, he couldn't seem to find the ball in the air. He knew he had swung hard, but…

Then he looked down. It was still in the grass. Waiting to be struck. Looking over at Hermione he saw her trying to hold back her laughter. Unsuccessfully trying. Soon he started laughing too.

She gave him a few tips. Primarily, keep your head down and don't look up until after you swing. Also, keep your back straight and don't bend your left arm. The last tip seemed ridiculous, but he tried it.

He missed again.

And again.

He connected after that, but the ball just rolled along the grass.

His next shot threw dirt in the air, but not the ball. He was beginning to get pissed.

Hermione went into school mode, "You looked up and you swung **_way_** too hard. Just slow down, Harry. If you try to kill the ball, it'll never work. Try to swing at half speed. Take a practice swing."

Harry slowed down to about what he thought was half speed and really focused on keeping his head down. He made a very slow practice swing, then repeated it over the ball. He made contact and the ball flew off the club. It felt so good and pure. He ball flew high and curved slightly to the right.

"Nice fade, Harry." That had come from his uncle. Apparently, he had been watching.

"Thanks, Uncle Vernon!"

Uncle Vernon looked a little sheepish and said, "Ehhh, you know, maybe you should be playing the 'Willows 9' course. It's geared up for beginners. Dan and I can play the main course."

Harry knew what that meant. He sucked.

Still, he had one good hit. When he hit the ball, it just felt so amazing. He might like golf…

— **Dance of Death** —

Due to a cancellation, Harry and Hermione were allowed to play just the two of them, without being forced into a foursome. Given Harry's inexperience, they decided to play 'best ball'. Nine times out of ten, they played from Hermione's ball. Harry spent more time in the thin woods between the holes, looking for his ball, than he did on the fairway.

Every time, he would make a point of seeing if there were any Oak trees. Whenever he found one, he made a point of really checking it out. Hermione often had to come and get him, he was so focused on the trees. They ended up letting four different groups play through. Hermione was trying to be polite, but it was obvious she was getting impatient.

As they came up to the seventh hole, Hermione made a point to Harry, "You know, Harry. It's OK to be an inexperienced golfer, but it's kind of bad form to be a _slow_ golfer. If your ball goes in the woods and you can't find it, just walk away. It's only a ball."

"I know Hermione, but if I see an Oak tree, I just feel like I should check it out." Hearing how that sounded, Harry winced and shook his head. "Alright, I'll speed up."

Harry actually had a good drive and landed two thirds of the way to the green. Hermione's shot didn't go quite as far, but it was in a better position, so they played from her ball. Harry pitched too hard and his ball flew way over the green. Hermione, on the other hand, managed to hit the green in regulation.

Hermione 'two putted' for par and was thrilled. She was usually two over per hole and every par was a victory for her. Harry came up and his first put stopped about a foot short. Hermione offered to just give it to him. Harry refused.

"Really, Harry. Please just take the 'gimme'."

"I've got this, Hermione. Honestly, if I miss a shot this easy, I have no business out here." He carefully lined up his putter and made a practice putt, just like Hermione had shown him. Stepping forward he placed his putter behind the ball and performed the exact same putting stroke.

The ball went straight toward the hole but was slightly off centre and moving a little too fast. The ball caught the rim and seemed to spin half way around the hole and shoot off three feet to the right.

" **Shite!** Shite, shite, shite! **Double Shite!"** Holding his putter, Harry had a sudden urge to throw it.

Hermione just walked back to the cart. Harry took three more tries to get the damn ball in the hole. He five putted. Fuming he returned to the cart.

Hermione was red faced. "Harry, I'm not going to continue this game unless you calm down. That was awful!"

Harry just sat and glowered. Eventually, Hermione decided to just call it and drove back to the clubhouse. Harry didn't say a word the whole way. He was done and he hated the damn game.

Sitting in the club house, Hermione was just sadly drinking her lemonade. Harry slowly calmed down. Hermione and her dad had driven all this way just to see him, and he acted like a child. They could have laughed and joked around the whole time, instead, he just got wound up.

"You know what, Hermione? I think we need to petition Dumbledore to make golf a form of detention."

Hermione didn't look up, but her lips twitched a bit in the corners. Harry had seen that before. He knew the drill.

"I don't know who created this game, but I suspect the Marquis de Sade was involved." Harry noted that Hermione was trying not to smile. But it was coming through. "Really, it's the most amazing way to ruin a nice morning. Let's hit this tiny ball and put it in the hole. Yeah… Should be easy. Easy as pie."

She finally looked at him again. "You really were terrible, Harry."

"Nah, it's the putter, Mione. I just need a better putter." They were both laughing now. Uncle Vernon had an account and Harry ordered chips and burgers. They spent the next hour just joking around. Harry took a few pot shots at himself. He also made sure to compliment Hermione on her game. She may not be able to drive the ball very far, but she was dangerous on the green.

Eventually, Dan and Vernon returned. Vernon looked angry and Dan looked uncomfortable. Apparently, Uncle Vernon had a meltdown on the twelfth hole and snapped his driver. Vernon took the pieces to the pro shop to have it re-shafted. Obviously it was defective.

Once Uncle Vernon left, Harry laughed hard when he heard the story. Dan apparently wasn't used to volatile personalities on the golf course. No doubt he wouldn't be doing this again. Harry confessed to struggling himself, but in the end they had fun. Hermione was less enthusiastic about it.

Eventually, Vernon came back and ordered an Arnold Palmer. Dan had the same. Uncle Vernon was back in his 'charming salesman' mode and they all eventually laughed and joked about the crazy course. Harry was a bit enamoured with the way Vernon handled the whole affair. He was like an angry version of Bill in the way he could win over a crowd. He'd never seen that before. At least, not in public.

Eventually, Vernon went to pick up his driver and Dan took Harry out and showed him how to swing. Harry realised that, with practice, this really could be fun. Soon, he was hitting the ball consistently well. It was a good stress reliever when you actually connect. He had no desire to ever play again, but he thought going to the range would be a fun way to kill time. Maybe he could just toss his putter in the bin…

— **Dance of Death** —

The following Monday was Harry's birthday. They went out for Chinese and Harry received a number of gifts. Mostly it was clothes and golf supplies. Harry didn't mention that he never wanted to play again, he just liked the driving range. Well, now he had tees, balls, and loads of golf shirts. Dudley gave him a set of Boxing gloves and shorts. He was excited about taking Harry to see Lou the next day. Petunia gave him a tennis racket. That was unexpected.

Dudley laughed. "Harry, you are in trouble now! Mom's gonna get you to play tennis in her garden club league." He was laughing and shaking his head.

Petunia seemed irritated by Dudley's comment, "Tennis is an excellent way for Harry to stay active. I've arranged for a few lessons with Sergio, the tennis pro. Harry, if you like it, we can join the league."

"Thanks, Aunt Petunia. Honestly, if I can't play Quidditch, this might be a good sport. Golf is fun too, but not really good exercise."

Dudley's eyebrows scrunched up, "What's Quidditch?"

Harry spent the next thirty minutes explaining the wonderful sport of Quidditch. The different positions, how you score, which brooms work best, and why you need 'beaters' on a team to avoid the Bludgers. When he was done, everyone was quiet for a minute.

Dudley had a sad look on his face. "I don't know, Harry. If you like team sports, give me Football or Rugby any day."

Uncle Vernon agreed, "Flying around on brooms? Are you kidding me? What kind of man puts a broomstick between his legs?"

Dudley scoffed, "Really, Harry, how is that not painful?"

Uncle Vernon laughed at Dudley's comment, adding, "Golf's good for business, but I suppose it's not a team sport. We do have a Cricket league at work."

This topic went from Tennis to every other sport the Dursleys could think of being superior to Quidditch. Harry started to get irritated, but when he thought about it, it kind of made sense. Until you actually ride a broom, there's no way to explain the exhilaration of the speed. How could he possibly describe the thrill of catching the snitch?

Aunt Petunia brought out the cake with fifteen candles.

— **Dance of Death** —

That night, Harry slept. Slowly, he found himself walking along a path that was full of miss matched paving stones which seemed to exist over an ocean of turbulent waves. There was nothing holding it up, it just floated precariously. In some places, the path had holes and he had to jump over an empty space to stay on the path.

He didn't know why he kept on, but he did. In his dreaming mind, this was better than the cemetery, so it was worth continuing. He walked for what seemed like ages, frequently leaping over missing areas. Eventually, he saw a house in the distance, atop a mountain on a tiny island. As he grew closer, he realised it was his dream house. Anxiously, he doubled his pace.

Eventually, he grew close enough to see that it had missing pieces. It was a shambles, actually. But, he could just make out a red headed figure who seemed to be making repairs. Harry was now sprinting toward the house. Images of his mother propelling him forward. Then, the pathway ended. He was easily a hundred feet away and nothing but a massive drop to a turbulent ocean below.

Harry took a deep breath and yelled out, "MUM! Mum, can you hear me?"

The figure looked back at him. The noise from the waves below was so loud. She waved to him. Holding out her wand she wrote in huge letters, " ** _Occlumency_** " _._

Harry backed up a good thirty feet. This was a dream and he was the dreamer. All things are possible in your dreams. He took off, running at top speed. Faster than he had ever run before. At the last point on the path, he leapt toward the far side. To where his mum was. To his house and his magic and his knowledge.

He didn't even make it twenty feet before he fell through the air to the crashing waves below.

When he awoke, all the Dursleys were looking down at him. Hedwig was watching as well. All concerned.

Maybe it was time for him to start practicing his occlumency again. Each night, like he used to. He hadn't done it since the cemetery.

— **Dance of Death** —

The next day, no one said a word about Harry's nightmare. Harry prepared a breakfast for Uncle Vernon and the man seemed to be concerned for him.

"Harry, we're worried about you. These nightmares… Maybe you should see someone. Just a person to help you get things in order. This whole secret society thing complicate things, but surely there's _someone_ used to talking about stressful times among… Magical people."

Harry suddenly felt mortified. "Well, I'll ask around." He remembered Ginny. How he had told her it was brave to get help and he thought she was amazing for it. Or something like that. Maybe he could see the same person. Waking up to find Dudley was getting embarrassing.

Vernon perked up and had a piece of bacon. "Good man. Nothing wrong with getting a little help." God, was this the same man who used to threaten Harry if he made a peep at night? He actually liked his aunt and uncle. Harry just nodded and smiled.

Soon Dudley would be up and they'd go to Dudley's gym for training.

— **Dance of Death** —

**Surrey Boxing Club**

Dudley took Harry to meet his Boxing coach Lou. The man was tall and lanky. He was at least fifty years old but his face looked older. This was the face of a man who had been punched a lot. His hair was a mixture of red and grey. His nose was small and he had a definite under bite, making his jaw jut forward.

After being introduced to Harry, he had him dress out to evaluate what he had to start with.

With a voice that was impossibly clean for such a rough looking face, definitely not a smoker. He sent them to get dressed and put on the gloves, adding, "Big-D, put him through da paces. Don't fret Harrison, we'll toughen ya up." Harry didn't bother correcting him. Harrison wasn't a bad name. Odd accent, was it American?

In the locker room, both he and Dudley put on their shorts and a t-shirt.

Dudley looked straight at him. "Look, Harry. Part of boxing is hitting the other guy, but most important is not getting hit. You catch my drift? We'll box each other, but only at about half power. Just don't get hit. I know how fast you are…"

Once in the ring, Harry learned how fast Dudley had gotten. Harry dodged most of the blows, but not all. If this was half power, he absolutely did not want to find out wat full power was. Half way through the practice, Harry's owl perception kicked in, but it was sporadic. It would come and go. One minute, Dudley was moving in slow motion, the next he was full speed. Harry learned to adjust, but he'd prefer it to just stay fixed at normal perception than to jump around. He had his bell rung a couple of times from it.

At the end of their test match, Lou walked over and nodded in appreciation.

"Not bad, Harrison. Big-D is one o' my fastest Heavyweights. Ya managed ta dodge most a his jabs and all a the uppa cuts. Course, I saw him hold back a couple a times. How much you weigh?"

Harry thought about it a minute. "One hundred and fifteen pounds." Harry was small and he knew it. Adding five to ten pounds was no big deal.

Lou pursed his lips for a moment, "I don't know what dat means. Let's say you're between 45 and 50 kilos. That puts ya on the light side a flyweight. We'll focus on speed and footwork. You ain't gonna have the power of a heavyweight, but ya can toughen up. Speed… endurance. Ya got balance, that's for sure."

Over the course of the week, Lou put together an intense training routine. It was all based around speed, rhythm and balance. Four days a week, Harry and Dudley came to the gym and worked out for two hours straight. Harry was put on a high protein diet with plenty of carbs. Lou wanted him to add bulk without any fat.

It reminded Harry of duelling practice with Professor Flitwick, only he would occasionally get clobbered. Dudley laid him out once and everyone came over to check on him. Lou was afraid he might have whiplash, so he had him slow down and take the rest of the day easy. Unfortunately, everyone started calling him 'Whiplash' and making whipping gestures whenever he did something right. Well, 'Whiplash' is better than Harrison…

When he wasn't Boxing or working in his home or garden, he was at the driving range. He was taking group lessons and had steadily improved his driver and iron performance. As long as he didn't have to putt again, he'd be happy.

That week, Harry had been extremely sore from the intense workouts. But he made time for practicing his occlumency again. He used an hour every morning an every night. It wasn't just his magic that was jumbled up, his thoughts were too. He was intent on pulling his mind together, even if his magic was a hopeless mess. He didn't find his way back to the patchwork path, but at least the nightmares stopped. His dreams were focused on Boxing and Ginny.

Next week, he'd start Tennis, but this week was Boxing. Hopefully everyone wouldn't outweigh him. Harry was always the smallest kid on the team. He was fast and agile enough, but never very large. He always looked about a year younger than the kids in his classes. Dudley was double his weight for crying out loud! Still, he wanted to learn to defend himself, so he'd just walk right in and stand up straight.

Saturday morning, Harry woke up eager. He was finally going over to see Ginny! He wondered if there were any Oak trees at the Burrow.

— **Dance of Death** —

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good place to stop. Harry is learning to live without magic, but it's still there. He is actually more sensitive to it now than before, he just can't use or influence it himself. A little bit of connection with the roses he used blood magic on to grow, and his owl vision and perception seems to be there to a degree. Beyond that, not really.
> 
> The Dursleys have really welcomed him in and after their apologies last summer, Harry is actually growing fond of them. I am trying to make Vernon a fun guy. This is based on the fact that no one who is a total buffoon can succeed in any job. I imagine the Horcrux made him a bear at home, but at work he was normal. He's trying to make things right with the child he had treated so poorly. Oh, he still hasn't told them about Dobby or Pipsey.
> 
> The Golf outing is like my own first attempt. I still remember missing the ball and having my dad point it out to me. No comment on the five putting. Let's just say, it happens. Hermione's reaction is also pretty normal. No one likes to play with a slow golfer. Or one who throws a temper tantrum. Harry's not as amazing at Golf as he is at Quidditch.
> 
> The Oak tree infatuation is important to the story and it will factor in tremendously. Soon.
> 
> Next up, The Weasley's throw him a party and invite people he doesn't want to see.


	21. Chapter 21

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**FASA Owns Earthdawn**

**Harry's fifth year will begin the major split from canon. Many of the events that happened in canon will still occur, but not necessarily in a way that Harry knows about or is affected by.**

**Welcome to Harry's fifth year.**

**The last chapter began a new page in Harry's life. His magic is damaged to a point that he can't use it. For a visual, think of an immense legal document. Now run it through an industrial shredder. Then, for good measure, run the pieces through again sideways. You might be able to piece together a few strands, but you're not going to be able to really understand the document.**

**With his magical pattern so shredded, Harry cannot enter his dreamscape or cast spells or even fly a broom reliably. He is adjusting to life without magic, and surprisingly, it's not that bad. Harry is on good terms now with the Dursleys and is kind of enjoying a simple life. He had rebuffed numerous attempts at apology and has no desire to ever see Hogwarts again.**

**Dudley has taken him to his gym and arranged for a trainer. Harry is learning to box as a 'flyweight' and has taken to it quite well. It is a natural extension of his duelling training. After getting his bell rung by Dudley, he even has a new nickname: Whiplash. It's growing on him. He tried his hand at Golf, but he found it over the top frustrating. After a brilliant meltdown over a five-putt, he decided to just enjoy the driving range. He has taken a few group lessons and has gotten rather consistent with his irons and driver. It's a stress reliever.**

**Petunia has big plans for playing Tennis with Harry in her garden club league. To that end, she has arranged private lessons with the local tennis pro and signed Harry up. Dudley tells him to run, but Harry actually thinks he might enjoy it. Speed and coordination. It can't be worse than Golf…**

**Sirius was found innocent in Switzerland and granted asylum he has lined up a trial in late August in Britain. He has begun suing the Pureblood families that is causing all kinds of turmoil. Due to old magical contracts, the Pureblood families have to pay up or have their magic suffer. The result has been quite destabilising. Even Minister Fudge was named in a suit over Sirius' unlawful incarceration.**

**Due to Voldemort's return, Sirius has held off from going after Dumbledore directly. He figures the man needs to stay focused. But he still plans to separate him from Harry very soon. Harry is waiting patiently…**

**Note: Parseltongue is designated with the § symbol and italic script. For example: §"Parseltongue §**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.**

**.**

**Chapter 21 –A Rose, a Tree, and a Marauder**

— **Dance of Death—**

**Diagon Alley**

**London**

**Saturday, August 5, 1995**

**11:00AM**

Today Harry is visiting the Weasley family for a birthday party in his honour. Wanting to get a little cash, Harry was picked up by Bill and taken to Diagon Alley. Wearing Muggle clothes and a hoodie gave Harry a bit of anonymity. They didn't discuss anything particularly weighty on the way, just odds and ends. They took a cab to Mrs. Figg's house and Floo'd to the Leaky Cauldron. Harry did take a moment to play with the cats and talked a bit with Mrs. Figg. She had a pregnant Kneazle and Harry offered to come by and help when she began to give birth. Mrs. Figg always seemed to care about Harry.

Once in Diagon Alley, Harry and Bill went to Bell's restaurant. It was only eleven, so they should be able to get a quiet spot. Walking in, Harry immediately saw Katie working as a hostess. Damn! He really didn't want to see anyone. While he was pausing and trying to decide if he should say anything, she locked eyes with him.

"Harry!" Katie's face lit up and came over to him. She pulled him into a 'Hermione hug' that only made him feel more uncomfortable. "How are you? You look so much better…"

Harry didn't remember seeing Katie. Everyone was gone when he came out of his coma in the infirmary. Wait, did that mean she had seen him when he was in a coma? With his face bandaged up? Shite! Bloody Dumbledore!

Harry was a little annoyed, but mostly embarrassed. It came across in his quiet response, "Hi, Katie. I'm feeling better. Oh, and thanks for the pies, they've made the summer bearable…" Harry loved her family's Shepherd's pies. What had he said in his letter to her? Something generic probably.

"What brings you to the Alley, Harry?" Katie was so bright and cheerful. Why couldn't he be more like her? His brooding even depressed himself at times.

Katie's interest seemed sincere. Still, Harry hated sharing so much. He really just wanted to grab a quick and quiet bite and get the lowdown on 'happenings' from Bill.

"I just need to make a withdrawal from Gringotts. I thought Bill and I might grab a quick lunch… If you have anything out of the way. I don't want to be recognised." Harry made an exaggerated wince while saying he didn't want to be recognised. He noted that Bill was quiet the entire time.

"Sure thing, Harry! Follow me." She led them to a back area. The back room is where private parties are usually held, but she thought it would be good for Harry to be out of the way. She had read the paper and knew how the press would react if Harry was spotted. They would hound him and ruin his day. "I'll come check on you guys in a bit." With a cheerful smile, she was off.

After she left, Bill just looked at Harry. "So… looks like you have a few friends." Maybe Harry would smile a bit more.

He knew Bill was worried about him socially, he found it annoying. "Yeah, Bill. I have a few friends. I'd like to keep it that way. The fewer, the better." Harry noted Bill seemed a bit disappointed, but didn't say anything. "Any news you can share?"

"Where to start…" Bill cast a quick 'Muffliato' spell for privacy. "OK, Sirius is eager for his trial in Britain, so he can return permanently. It's scheduled for August 25th and he has arranged for a guard detail. Well, Andromeda arranged for it. The Malfoy block has been stripped of any voting rights as the Black family proxy and he has greatly impacted their wealth with the lawsuits. Preparing for and waging a war takes money, and the Deatheater families suddenly have a lot less than they did a month ago. It's hard to bribe and influence votes with wishes and promises." Bill gave an amused shrug at that.

Harry smiled. He remembered the way the Deatheaters acted in the graveyard. Arrogant and full of themselves. Watching him roll around on the ground under the Cruciatus curse. Now they are the ones rolling around. Writhing in pain over the loss of their money. Serves them right.

Bill continued, "Sirius has done more damage to Voldemort supporters than Dumbledore ever managed. He was given an ICW sanctioned hearing in Switzerland and passed with flying colours. It was noted internationally that he was given Veritaserum and questioned intensively. His innocence aligns with Pettigrew's testimony and there are numerous voices calling for the families that 'claimed Imperious' to be given Veritaserum. The fact that the Deatheater families had to pay Sirius for supporting Voldemort is another strike against them. Most of Britain now knows they got off through bribery and corruption. Foreign publications are all over it. Fudge is trying to act like he was tricked and the Bagnold administration was to blame, but no one is really fooled. The minister is obviously trying to save his own skin."

Loving the news, Harry looked at his friend and mentor and proclaimed, "Bill, you made my day." Then he asked, "What about Sirius, is he alright?"

Bill then discussed Sirius directly, "The man is going stir crazy in Switzerland. Dumbledore is trying to get him a mind healer, but Sirius is refusing." Bill seemed to want to say more, but was hesitating.

Harry looked at his closest friend closely. Something else is going on. "I don't understand. Why doesn't he want to see a mind healer? I mean, wouldn't it help? The man went through hell." Something was definitely off.

"Yeah. Sirius thinks Dumbledore will be petitioning to keep your guardianship and getting mind healing would work against him. Either that or he wants to prevent Sirius from gaining access to the Wizengamot. Or so he thinks."

"Shite! Of course he would! That damn meddler. He just can't leave well enough alone. There's nothing wrong with Sirius that a little time and attention won't cure."

Bill paused a moment. "No, Harry. Sirius is pretty messed up." Bill had a guilty look on his face, "I know you don't want to hear this, but he's in no state to be your guardian. But he still thinks he can pull it off."

Harry looked shell shocked, "You were all on board a few months ago. What…" Bill gently held up his hand, stopping him. He was in mentor mode now.

"I still intend to get you away from Dumbledore, but I want it to be the earlier plan. The one where your guardianship is with the Tonks family. Sirius keeps changing the plan." Seeing Harry stunned, Bill added, "It's for his own good Harry. The man is really messed up. Wakes up screaming… paranoid fears about Dementors… and he really has an unhealthy axe to grind. It's like he's no longer grounded in reality."

Harry thought about it. "So, what do we do?" He wouldn't put his needs ahead of Sirius'.

"We convince him to get help. Ted is willing to file immediately for your magical guardianship to be moved to his wife, Andromeda. Once Sirius gets help, and he is pronounced ready… guardianship can be moved." Bill watched Harry closely. This is where the boy might lose his cool. Surprisingly, he didn't. Was a large measure of Harry's volatility centered on the Horcrux? Had it been a driver in his frequently explosive personality?

Harry ran his hand through his hair. "I don't want Sirius to… If he needs to get help, he should." Crap! Why is it always so bloody difficult?

Bill could see Harry deflate. Today they were supposed to be celebrating, time to change gears. "Hey, put it behind you. We'll just adjust our plans. You will be free of Dumbledore soon, I guarantee it." Seeing the young teen scowl, he added, "And I know the Tonks family, you'll like them. Really. Especially Nymphadora… but don't call her that. She's kind of psychotic about it."

With a wry grin, Harry said, "Great, my potential new guardians have a crazy daughter. Like I don't have enough psycho's in my life."

At that, Bill laughed. Katie brought the butterbeer, a tankard of ale for Bill and two enormous Shepherd's pies. Katie lingered a bit, but it was kind of awkward. She couldn't think of anything to say and neither could Harry. Eventually she set a dessert menu on the table and left.

Bill suddenly got a bit serious, "You know Ron and the twins will be at the party, right? I think mum invited Neville and Luna too. And Hermione. Are you ok with that?" He knew Harry had written to a few friends, but this may be a bit much. Especially with the way Ron and the twins had acted.

Harry thought about it for a minute, "Well, Ron let me down, but he's your family. The twins too. I can make nice. The rest stuck by me."

"Just be nice, Harry. You know Ron and the twins were affected by the scar, right?"

"I know, but both twins weren't affected. One forced the other not to sign that Declaration of… what was it? Eiectio?" Why can't anything be in simple English? "Ron's got massive jealousy issues or the scar wouldn't have loved him so much."

After an awkward pause, Harry continued, "I can let it go, for you and Ginny… but I don't see myself ever trusting any of them again." With a shrug, Harry finished with, "And who cares? I won't be going back to Hogwarts. Did you know they took my wand? Dumbledore said he'd lobby to have it returned or something. I'm not expecting anything."

Bill tilted his head and asked, "You know you can still get your OWLs. Right? You don't need to be able to perform magic to get enough OWLs to be 'legal'. Then they'll have to give you back your wand."

"Wait, what? How… I don't understand. I need five OWLs to be a legal member of Wizarding Britain, right?"

"That's right. So, we could focus on Muggle Studies, History, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Herbology. Maybe even Care of Magical Creatures. Minimal wand work involved in any of those subjects, and you could easily get an 'Acceptable' on the written portions alone. Harry, you could test in Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes today and pass with flying colours." Seeing Harry start to protest, he added, "Yeah, you can't power up the Runes, but you could still get an Acceptable even if you failed the practical portion."

Harry began seriously considering his options.

Bill pressed forward while Harry was considering it. "We could add Astronomy or Divination if you'd like… but why go overboard?" Seeing Harry looking conflicted, he added, "We can make it home study so you wouldn't need to go to Hogwarts. You'd have to go there for your OWL exams, but that's it."

Harry shook off thoughts of magic. "I had planned to go to Smeltings with Dudley." Seeing Bill's surprise, he added, "Why delay the inevitable? I'm practically a muggle now anyway." Enough is enough. The wizarding world can fight their own monsters. He could live without his wand. He didn't need any of their pity.

Bill had an odd look, "Well, think about it."

Bill knew If Harry wants to stay with Ginny, he'll need to be a part of the magical world. Same with his inheritance. No point bringing that up today. Harry really had no choice, but it would be best if he came to that conclusion on his own. Bill knew exactly how to steer Harry without making him feel powerless. Dumbledore never figured that out.

When they wrapped up their lunch, Katie informed them it was on the house. Harry thanked her. As they walked out of the restaurant to leave, a few people recognised Harry and whispering started. Well, at least they were leaving. Harry tried not to listen, but he couldn't help but hear a few of the comments. "Squib" "Poor boy" "Serves him right…" "So sad" "Look at his clothes" "I think it's a Muggle" and other comments.

Making his withdrawal from Gringotts was a miserable affair. The cup was displayed where all could see it, but he wasn't mentioned. It was a 'Gringotts' victory. So much for 'Eternal Glory'. The tellers gave him no preferential service, and they were there for nearly three hours! Harry finally asked to see Director Ragnok, but Ragnok refused to see him, sending word that he was too busy. The Goblins had loved him when he had magic, but now he was just yesterday's news. Little Bastards.

Bill had warned him, and Ragnok's refusal to aid and assist after the third task had really stung. Bitterly, Harry remembered being proud of his curse-breaker uniform. They were just toying with him. Building him up to make themselves look good. He did want his Kukri knife back, however. He'd have to write Dumbledore for it.

— **Dance of Death—**

**The Burrow**

**Saturday, August 5, 1995**

**3:30PM**

Bill and Harry arrived at the Burrow and Harry could sense the magic of the place, but he had learned to keep it from causing him discomfort. Otherwise, they would have to celebrate outside.

As Harry walked in, he was mobbed by the family. Well, most of the family. Percy wasn't there at all, no great loss. Ron and the twins held back a bit, looking awkwardly embarrassed. They obviously regretted their behaviour and didn't seem to know what to do or how to act. The twins huddled together as they did when under scrutiny. Ron just stared at his feet. All three had written to him, but Harry tossed the letters into the bin. He just ignored them.

Ginny gave him a big hug and her mother followed suit. Charlie hung back, but was as warm as ever. He was a good natured guy. Kind of like his father. Speaking of which, Mr. Weasley came over and warmly greeted Harry. The man was such a calming influence. Soon Hermione arrived with Neville and Professor Lupin. Luna showed up soon after. Harry was ushered to the table where a huge cake was brought out. Fifteen candles on top, with 'one to grow on'.

He was given a study guide from Hermione, sweets from Ginny, an obscure book on Hittite runes from Bill, and joke gifts from the twins and Ron. Harry was polite to them, but not exactly warm. More formal than in the past. He went through the motions for the sake of the other Weasleys. Luna gave him a book on magical creatures of the South Pole. It was surprising how many there were. Was there really an ice Dragon? Charlie gave him a Dragon fang knife. Apparently, it came from the Hungarian Horntail he had gotten past in the tournament. Charlie explained that dragons shed their teeth regularly and he picked this one up for him. It had a serrated edge on one side and a nice point to it. The base had been worked into a handle. Not as sharp or well-balanced as a steel knife, but much cooler. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave him a set of Encyclopaedias. They were the 1995 Encyclopaedia Britannica collection. Hermione must have helped them pick it out. It was an amazing set.

In the end, Harry thanked everyone and the group settled into a relaxed afternoon. While looking through his books, Harry suddenly noticed everyone had stopped talking. Looking up, he understood why. Albus Dumbledore and Amelia Bones had entered the house. Mr. Weasley looked irritated and Mrs. Weasley looked pleased. Bill looked like he was ready to explode.

Dumbledore walked over and held out a gift to Harry. "Happy Birthday, Harry."

Harry shook his head, "Keep it. I don't want anything to do with you or your school." Looking at the pair, he added, "That goes for you too, Director Bones."

Everyone grew quiet. Dumbledore softly said, "Harry, this gift is from your parents. I assume it was to be presented when you turned seventeen, but I thought you might like it sooner."

Harry paused a moment, then took the gift. He sadly realised that even his vaults aren't off limits to Dumbledore. He vowed to contact Sirius and discuss getting the ball moving on his separation from the old man as soon as possible.

Without a word, Harry opened the gift. It was a lovely pocket watch with the Potter coat of arms on it. It also had HJP inscribed on it, leaving no doubt that it was intended for him.

Dumbledore spoke up and said, "Hold it to your ear and press the winding mechanism."

Harry did, and a female voice told him the time. It likely was intended to be used in the dark. But whose voice was it. It had seemed… kind of familiar. His mum! Repeating the process, a male voice then gave the time.

Albus was watching him intently. "Those are your parent's voices, Harry. They made that for you before they went into hiding." His eyes were twinkling away, but in this instance, Harry didn't mind.

He managed to say, "Thank you." This was a stunningly wonderful gift. Ginny took his hand.

Dumbledore used this touching moment to ask, "Harry, if I could take a moment of your time. I need to discuss the coming school year with you."

Bill spoke up, "Albus, not today. Let Harry have a quiet birthday party." Internally, Bill was begging him not to push Harry. The day would be ruined by well-intentioned pressure.

Dumbledore ignored Bill and pressed on, "This will only take a moment." He pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Harry, "Harry, I've put together a special wandless studies program with you in mind. With this, you will be able to take your OWLs at the end of the year."

Harry read the paper and realised it was a course listing. "No. I'm done with this. Magic is no longer something I plan to pursue." There. Direct and to the point.

Dumbledore looked sad, but shook his head and said, "Alas, I'm afraid this is required. You need to achieve five owls to remain in our world. To inherit from your family vault."

Harry made like a fish for a moment. Gaping and moving his mouth. Bill groaned. What the hell.

Harry finally found his voice, "Wait a minute, Squibs are part of the wizarding world and they don't need OWLs. Besides, the money in the vaults is mine. Who do you think you are, you damn thief?" The accusation just burst out. He was still dwelling on Dumbledore getting into his vaults.

Mrs. Weasley gasped. "Harry, Professor Dumbledore is not a thief. He's trying to help you." She was obviously surprised at his reaction. Everyone seemed to be. Everyone except Bill.

Mr. Weasley stepped in with a touch on his wife's shoulder. "Harry. Squibs have a set of legal protections that don't apply here. I'm sorry, I thought you knew you had to get your OWLs." He glanced briefly at Bill. It was very subtle, but Harry caught it.

Harry looked at Bill, "So that's what you were hinting about at lunch." There was no denying the hurt in his voice. The look of powerlessness. "What if I just say no?"

Bill took the point before Dumbledore could botch things up. "If you say no, what's left of your magic would be bound. You and your cousins would be obliviated." Seeing the shock on Harrys face, he added, "Harry, I wanted to discuss this with you in depth, but not on your birthday." The last part was directed at Dumbledore with an angry look.

Harry looked at Amelia, "And what do you want? Are you here to threaten me as well?"

Amelia looked deeply disturbed and said, "No, Mr. Potter. I have an offer to make. But, given the way this discussion is going, it will keep."

Harry shook his head, "Let's just get it over with. What's your offer?" The tone was flat and without any warmth at all.

With a deep breath, Amelia made her offer, "I want to offer to re-instate the Potter-Bones alliance. You would be under the protection of the Bones family and could move into the Bones manor. No force on earth could get to you within the manor, so your safety would be guaranteed."

Bill spoke up, "Wait, you kill the alliance with deception, then want to re-instate it? We already know you have to protect Harry. That part of the alliance is still in effect. The wards on Bones Manor crumbled when you broke the alliance and were replaced with standard wards… powerful, but not impenetrable."

Amelia seemed annoyed, but also embarrassed. Obviously this would not be as easy. "We could re-instate the alliance and the wards would come back up. The foundational matrix is still there, it just needs an infusion to reintegrate." She didn't add that the foundational matrix would crumble beyond repair in another three months.

Harry suddenly did something unexpected. He laughed. Long and hard. "So your wards are vulnerable and Voldemort is back. You've been going after all his supporters, and now you're a target. I bet you regret signing that 'no more alliance' document now." Suddenly growing serious, "Tell me about this infusion."

Bill answered before she could, "They want you to sacrifice your magic."

There were a few gasps. Even Mrs. Weasley seemed shocked.

Amelia suddenly blurted out, "You will be cared for! You will be loved and protected! Please, just consider it." She sounded sincere, but desperate. Harry suspected her desperation was, in part, originating from her magic punishing her for the deception last year. She had to help him and this would, in theory be a way to protect him.

Dumbledore glared at Bill briefly. He was putting two and two together. "Your magic is damaged beyond repair, Harry. It would just be a portion of your magic. The part that was shredded. This would provide you protection beyond even the blood wards on your Aunt and Uncle's house. The wards that currently will expire on your seventeenth birthday."

Harry huffed and said, "Sod off."

Amelia looked defeated and Dumbledore looked embarrassed. This had obviously not gone the way either had hoped.

Harry crumpled up the course schedule and added, "I'll be home schooling this year, so take this and shove it." He then threw it at Dumbledore, who nimbly caught it. Harry noted the man had amazing reflexes. He didn't even break eye contact.

Dumbledore then sighed deeply. "I'm sorry it has come to this, Harry. But as your guardian, I must insist."

"I'm not giving up my magic for you or her or anyone." 'Her' was referring to Amelia.

Dumbledore nodded briefly, "I understand. But I was referring to your education. I am still your magical guardian and I have the authority to require you to attend Hogwarts. It's for your own good, Harry." For what it was worth, Dumbledore was being regarded unsympathetically by everyone. He didn't even look happy with himself. Bill made eye contact with Harry and gave a very slight shake of his head. The meaning was clear. Say nothing.

Harry got up and walked out. He started to say something vile, but decided against it. Bill's look kept him from tipping his hand. He went into the woods on the edge of the Burrow. He needed to think.

— **Dance of Death—**

Harry walked through the woods, reflecting on how rotten an otherwise good day had turned. He knew there was a plan to get away from Dumbledore, but how much longer did he have to wait? He needed to get away now! He heard Bill stop Ginny when he stored out. 'Give him space' he had said. Bill always looked after him. What was he gonna to do?

Then he felt it. A sudden and subtle pull. He relaxed and followed it. About a hundred yards later, he was standing in front of an enormous Oak tree. It was majestic. Perfect, in fact. He didn't know how long he marvelled at it, but he knew he was somehow lost in the moment. Reaching up, he pulled down an acorn. It was perfect. He pulled the cap off of it and examined it. Finding a rock, he rubbed to sharp little point off the bottom, making it round. And he swallowed it without hesitation. It was kind of big, but he got it down.

Harry took a stick and began making Runes in the soil. He didn't know why he was doing it, but he just knew he needed to complete it. He finished the Rune mapping and lay down in the centre. Focusing…

Harry found himself in an ancient forest. He knew he was dreaming, but this was so new. So different. He walked through the woods and realised it had a weird smell. It smelt like… blood. Once he became aware of it, he couldn't get away from the smell. It filled his nose, his mouth, his… everything. The more he walked, the closer he came to the source of the smell. Eventually, he stood before a rotten and twisted tree. It was a mockery of what it had once been. He slowly realised he was not alone. Standing beside him was his mother.

Lily looked at him and said, "Reach out, Harry. Place your hands on the tree."

Harry wanted to throw his arms around his mum. She was so beautiful! It had been so long since he had seen her in his dreamscape. But, he just listened. As though directed by a greater power, he placed both hands upon the tree.

He began reciting something. At first he thought it was just noise, but it kept coming. Over and over. It was a foreign language. A beautiful language he had never heard before. He somehow knew what he was saying even if he couldn't understand the words.

" _Let the shattered purify the corrupt._

_Let the corrupt restore the shattered."_

_—_

Slowly, Harry opened his eyes.

He was in the Weasley home. Sitting up, Harry looked around and realised it was late. Bill and Mrs. Weasley were there.

Bill handed him a glass of water. "You OK, Harry?"

"Yeah, I guess I just needed a… nap?" What an odd thing to say. He needed more than a nap.

Mrs. Weasley smiled at him. "It's alright, Harry. This was not the kind of day I wanted you to have. I'm sorry about Albus… I'm just sorry."

Harry sat up and drank the water. "How did I get back here?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled and answered, "After a few hours we went looking for you, dear. You were sleeping in the woods near the old Oak tree. Bill and Charlie carried you back. A good nap may have been exactly what you needed." She smiled broadly, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She was obviously concerned.

Ginny came down stairs when she heard he was awake and they took a walk around the property. Hermione, Neville, and Luna all left after Harry stormed out. He felt bad, but given the circumstances… Harry knew he had to walk away before losing his cool. He and Ginny talked about it. Ginny admitted that she thought Harry needed to see someone to get past the terrible fourth year. She recommended her therapist and handed him a business card. Harry depressingly accepted it. What the hell… Everyone thought he needed a little help.

When they came back, dinner was served. Ron and the twins tried to make nice and Harry stoically accepted their overtures. For Ginny's sake. And Bill. There was a treacle tart at the end. Mr. Weasley had discussed the situation with Dumbledore and the man had agreed to home schooling as long as Harry came in and tested at Hogwarts. A mid-term exam and the final OWL would be required. At least the day ended on a high note. He could go back to Hogwarts twice.

Bill took him back and they Floo'd to Mrs. Figg's house. The sweet old lady gave him a book she said her husband had. It looked old and was full of arcane information. Bill let out a whistle and said something about 'serious combat magic'. Harry considered refusing, but he kept it. You never know…

He hugged the poor old lady and told her about his day. She listened sympathetically, but when Harry talked about Dumbledore, she adopted an odd look. Sometimes, sweet little Mrs. Figg could be just a tiny bit… scary.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Malfoy Manor**

**Saturday, August 5, 1995**

**11:00PM**

Lucius was in the library brooding. The Dark Lord had taken over his Manor, forcing he and his wife into a guest suite. He had also taken over Lucius' study. When the Dark Lord lost his temper, he destroyed Lucius' possessions. Some of which had been priceless art pieces and family heirlooms. His snake was slithering about, urinating and defecating all over the place. One of their house elves was missing and Lucius thought Nagini may have eaten his servant. House elves aren't cheap…

Since the Dark Lord had returned, Lucius was having to fund the war preparations. He was spending money far faster than he could hope to replenish it. Unfortunately, Sirius Black had dealt a terrible blow to his reputation and his wealth. Not only did he have to cover all the debts he had incurred against the Black estate, but he had massive reparations he was required to make or forfeit his magic. The way Arcturus had written those contracts made them air tight. For the thousandth time, Lucius wondered why he hadn't had Sirius eliminated when the man was imprisoned in Azkaban? Lucius estimated nearly forty percent of his fortune evaporated overnight. His wealth was near where it had been fourteen years ago, only now it was decreasing daily.

Most of the other Deatheater families were now in a worse position financially, but at least they still had their manors to themselves. Lucius knew better than to suggest the Dark Lord leave. That would get him killed. He needed a cash infusion and he needed it soon. At this rate, he had maybe two years before his family would be in a difficult financial position. The Black estate was huge and, until recently, he had believed Draco to be the heir. He had counted on it. But with Sirius and Potter in the way, the Black fortune was currently out of his reach.

He needed a plan. He had to remove all road blocks to the Black estate. Otherwise, Malfoy would be another 'has-been' family. Draco and Narcissa had continued spending like a pair of aristocrats, but without the Black allowance, it was just another drain. He needed to take action. Sirius was too well protected in Switzerland, but he'd be back soon. Then, they would deal with him. And the Dark Lord would take the Potter brat.

— **Dance of Death—**

Narcissa was in her room reflecting on what had happened to her family. Well, she was not in 'her' room, but a guest suite. Last year, the Malfoy family had been at the top of Wizarding Society. Now, they were shunned. The truth had finally come out and the public treated them like lepers. Like deatheaters… No matter where they went, there were whispers and guarded looks. Whoever said 'the truth would set you free' was a damn fool.

Narcissa had tried to forget those dark days of the last war. Once Lucius took the mark, it affected him. It changed him in unexpected ways. He became short tempered and sadistic. It came on gradually, like a slow descent into insanity. That mark was far more than a tattoo. It corrupted from within.

She had been so naive and foolish. It had all started as a simple political movement, saving pureblood traditions. But it quickly turned violent and terrifying. Then, the Dark Lord was defeated and her family was saved. She would never admit it, but she was thrilled it was over. Thrilled that the mark had faded and her husband slowly returned to the charming man she had married. Yes, he still had a sadistic streak that was not there before taking the mark… but he was mostly the same. And when Lucius managed to avoid prosecution, she had hopes of a normal life. Normal for an extremely wealthy pureblood socialite, that is.

Now, the monster was back and living in her home. Sleeping in her bed while she and Lucius were in a guest suite. She was terrified her son would be forced to take the mark. It would undoubtedly change him the same way it changed Lucius. All summer she had kept Draco as far away from the Dark Lord as she could. Away from Lucius as well. But there was only so much she could do.

Lucius was furious over the loss of wealth caused by Sirius and had, at one point, taken it out on Draco. He struck his son hard enough to knock him to the ground. Like it was somehow his son's fault that he was no longer the Black heir. Draco had never been, in fact, the true heir. But how could any of them have known? A year ago, the idea that Lucius would strike his son was out of the question, but now… It was that damn tattoo. The dark mark on his forearm. Driving him to sadistic and irrational outbursts. Like he was a reflection of the Dark Lord.

Soon, she would have to make a choice. Her son or her husband. She had seen the Dark Lord watching Draco. Lusting after the wealth that came with the Black estate. The more she considered this, the more certain she was. The Dark Lord would soon pressure Lucius to have Draco take the mark. Lucius… would acquiesce. He would have no choice, really. To decline would be a death sentence for them all. But to defect may be a death sentence as well.

What could she do?

— **Dance of Death—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey, England**

**The Dursley Home**

**August 6, 1995**

Harry slept peacefully. Practicing occlumency had done wonders for his ability to sleep without nightmares. As he slowly drifted off, he found himself on the patchwork path once more. It was wider and appeared to be reinforced with wooden branches and roots. He slowly walked along the path until he could see his old dreamscape house. His mother had done a good job of repairing it. The path had been filled with tree roots and he would finally be able to reach his destination.

He walked over the roots very carefully. He just needed to get to the other side. After carefully putting one foot in front of the other, he was there. He hugged his mother and they held each other tightly.

Lily's incarnation said, "Happy birthday, Harry."

Harry slowly released her and stepped back. Looking into her green eyes, he asked, "Does this mean I'm healed? I can do magic?"

His mother's image slowly shook her head, "No, Harry. Not yet, but you're on the right path. Keep practicing occlumency. Pull your mind together. Go to our house in Godric's Hollow and find the vault. Within the vault, there is a flower. Find the flower, Harry. Once you have the flower, you and Oakheart can finish the healing process. For you both."

Harry felt himself slowly being pulled away. To the waking world. He tried to stay asleep, but the harder he tried, the more he regained consciousness.

He heard his mother's last words "Find the Rose!"

He realised his alarm was going off. Time to go to the gym with Dudley. Damn.

The dream was clear and crisp. There was no Voldemort soul splinter to muddy the waters.

Find the Rose and connect with Oakheart.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Later the same morning**

Harry and Dudley jogged to the Boxing club for their morning workout. They made a habit of working out each and every morning, the jog was about two and a half miles and helped them warm up. They went through basic drills, jumped rope, worked the bag. Dudley showed Harry a few tricks in closing the distance and going to the body. It was a really good morning workout.

Harry had only been at it for a week, but he was beginning to get the hang of the workouts. The soreness was still there, but the morning jog helped work out a lot of the stiffness. While he couldn't shake his dream, a good workout helped clear his head. He kept thinking about what his mother had said. He needed to find his house. Find a rose in the vault. Something about Oakheart.

After about an hour and a half, they were ready for a good breakfast and left for home. Their pace was significantly slower, but this let them talk and clown around. Dudley shared that he was thinking about becoming a youth minister or a counsellor. He felt like he had a lot to give and could connect with troubled youths. Harry just listened. He had hated Dudley for so many years, now… that hate just wasn't there. Dudley was like a big brother to him. A _really_ big brother, he realised with a grin.

When they got home, they took turns showering and came down for a late breakfast. Petunia was prepping the kitchen and Harry went in to help. He enjoyed making omelettes and French toast. While prepping, they talked about the condition of the Rose garden. Harry realised that Petunia loved discussing gardening with him. It was a hobby they both seemed to enjoy, but neither Dudley nor Uncle Vernon had any interest.

Over breakfast, Uncle Vernon made jokes about politics and the last round of golf he had played with Dan Granger. He definitely had far more fun than Dan appeared to have had. Harry laughed and talked about missing the ball. Dudley talked about the three of them playing a round. Just for fun. They needed a 'guys day out' before he and Harry went off to Smeltings.

Reluctantly, Harry brought up a tough subject. "Actually, I can't go. I have to finish one more year of Wizard school. Apparently, it's the law. Now that I don't have magic, I have to take history and gardening classes. Math and ancient languages too." Seeing everyone looking at him, he added, "But this is the last year. When I'm done, I'm done."

Uncle Vernon adopted the look he had when he was feeling especially sly. "What happens if you just… skip out?"

Harry hated it, but he was honest. "They would send in wizards to bind up whatever is left of my magic. I expect it would be quite painful. Then, they'd wipe all of our memories."

Aunt Petunia gasped. Uncle Vernon roared, "They wouldn't dare!" Dudley was speechless.

Harry took a deep breath, "They would. They have an entire team of… 'Wizard Bobbies' that specialise in erasing people's memories."

Aunt Petunia put her head in her hands. Uncle Vernon was shaking in rage. And Dudley… Well, he was just looking sympathetically at Harry. When the hell did Dudley get to be so… nice?

Harry decided to calm the family, "Bill offered to tutor me, so I wouldn't have to go back to that school. There are a few other people that are pretty nice I could get, but I'd be home for the summer. Unless, you want me to go back… then I can."

Vernon stood up and yelled, "HELL NO! You can stay here and learn. Those… sons of bitches..." He was changing colours and Aunt Petunia was reaching for his medicine.

When he calmed down, he asked, "What would you be studying, Harry?"

Harry thought about the best way to present it, "Well, Arithmancy is basically math, Ancient Runes is like really old languages – I'm really good at that. Herbology is gardening, but with crazy plants. Astronomy is basically studying the stars. Then there's history, care of… magical animals" He decided to skip divination. "And studies of… normal people."

Aunt Petunia shrugged. "That sounds reasonable. Math is always good. And if you are here longer, we can get to know you better.' Vernon nodded along to that.

Harry smiled. They wanted him…

Dudley shook his head, "I was hoping we could room together at Smeltings." With a disappointed shrug, he added, "Maybe next year."

Harry was shocked at the way they were acting. It was actually nice. "Well, let's make the most of this summer, I guess. Boxing has been great. I'm pretty good on the driving range, so we can still do a golf outing. Just don't ask me to putt…"

Aunt Petunia added, "Tomorrow you have your first lesson with Sergio. I really think you'll like tennis, Harry."

— **Dance of Death—**

Harry called Hermione that day and confessed to falling asleep in the woods. He apologised for upsetting everyone, but Hermione insisted it was Dumbledore's fault. She was pretty angry about the whole, 'give up your magic for protection' spiel. Apparently, after he left, the adults really went after Dumbledore and Amelia. Even Mrs. Weasley was furious with him, and she worshipped the ground he walked on.

Harry went to the driving range with Dudley and Uncle Vernon that afternoon. Harry was actually fairly good compared to them. Uncle Vernon and Dudley both had a longer drive, but it always faded to the right. Sometimes they just flat out sliced. Still, Harry figured they had a good twenty to thirty yards on him, even with the fade. Harry was more accurate with his irons. The three group lessons he had were put to good effect. He still didn't have their distance, but he could work the ball better. The putting green was the sore spot. Harry just had very little 'touch' and couldn't putt to save his life. Same with short chips.

They ended the afternoon in the clubhouse just hanging around and cutting up. Dudley disappeared for a while, then they took off for home. Once home, Dudley took Harry to the local playground and produced a pair of cigars. He had purchased them at the clubhouse on his dad's account. "Let me show you how it's done Harry."

He snipped off the ends and lit one up. After a few puffs, it was going well. Dudley even managed a smoke ring after a few tries. "Here, try it. But don't inhale. You just pull a bit of the smoke into your mouth and savour it. Then, blow it back out."

Harry took the offered cigar and puffed a bit to get it going. He felt an instant buzz. His whole body felt tingly. A few more puffs, and the feeling got more intense. He felt a sweat forming on the back of his neck.

Dudley looked concerned, "Harry, don't inhale. You'll make yourself sick. Here watch me." And he puffed out a few more some rings.

Harry tried again, but ended up in a coughing fit. It continued until he threw up. His head was spinning and he felt terrible. What the hell?

Dudley had him sit and he ran home to get a bottle of coke. Harry threw up again while he was gone. Damn cigars! Damn! Dudley got back and the coke seemed to help. They waited until he felt better before heading back. He noticed Dudley seemed to think it was funny.

"Yeah, same thing happened to me my first time." Dudley was definitely laughing.

"Why didn't you tell me that earlier?" Harry was too sick to be pissed.

"I told you not to inhale…"

Bloody cigars.

— **Dance of Death—**

The next day, Harry and Dudley jogged to the gym and had another good workout. Being a Monday, Lou was there to train them. Harry was picking up the rhythm and movements quickly due to his duelling training. Dudley was struggling to lay a hand on him. Soon, Lou put him against other lightweight and flyweight fighters. Speed against speed. He was enjoying himself.

Harry went to the Tennis club and had a first lesson with Sergio . It was similar to volleying spells, but he aimed away from his opponent. The first lesson went well, they focused on grip and stance. He took to it better than Golf, that's for sure. Sergio advised him that an hour a day would do wonders. He could rent a machine if he wanted to.

Coming into the club house, he saw a red faced Petunia. She was eager to leave as quickly as possible. Harry noticed two of her friends whispering. He was suddenly able to hear every other word. "Her criminal nephew can't play. He'd rob us if we let him. Something, something, juvenile delinquent."

On the positive side, he had managed to use his Owl hearing. On the negative, his aunt was embarrassed and disappointed. Harry kind of felt sorry for her, but she really had brought it on herself with ten years of lies. Maybe he could join the youth Tennis team and skip the mother-son league. If they don't mind his 'chequered past, that is.

The week passed quickly. Gardening, Boxing, Tennis, and the occasional trip to the driving range. At the end of it, he met Bill on Saturday and they went to Godric's Hollow. Bill seemed reluctant, concerned that it might be under surveillance. But agreed that Harry should at least see his parent's graves. A quick trip on the Knight Bus and they were there. The village was small, but very charming. He saw the memorial to his family. He was depicted in a large sculpture as a baby with his parents.

He paid his respects to their graves. It was so depressing. They had been taken from him so young.

"Mum and Dad, thank you for saving me. I miss you both and think of you every day. I hope you are proud of me. I'm proud of you both. I love you." He touched each headstone and slowly walked out.

He then approached his home.

The roof was blown off of about a third of the building and there were wards keeping people out. He was able to slip through, being apparently attuned. Bill waited outside. Going in, he came to the stairs. There was a sense of foulness on the middle of the steps. He assumed that's where his father had perished. He applied a bit of blood to the knob on the bottom banister and the staircase rose up, revealing a set of steps down to ta reinforced door. Just like in his dreamscape.

Descending, he approached the door and, upon touching it, it swung open. He could sense the enchantments on the door, it was powerful. It obeyed him. Walking in, the vault was exactly like in his dream scape. He noted a few extra odds and ends. An old bronze dagger and a crystal box containing a Rose. Picking up the dagger, he noted the inscription. In Latin it read 'Marcus Junius Brutus'. He opened up his perception and could feel it was enchanted. Enchanted, and… something more. Lifting it up, he felt a sudden surge, followed by an immense dizziness. Once it passed, he put the dagger in his belt and scanned the vault a bit more. He saw two wands, neatly set aside and he pocketed them as well. If the ministry was going to steal his wands, he'd take the two that must have been his parents.

Finally, he went to the crystal box containing the Rose. Touching the box, it suddenly opened up. He hesitated a moment. Was this some kind of trap? Was it safe? His mother had sent him here, so it must be. Reaching in, he lifted the rose. The rose was a red so dark it was almost black. It was gorgeous. Then, suddenly, it began shooting out tendrils.

It wrapped around his arm and his torso and within two seconds he was wrapped up in thorny vines. Was this how Angelina and Alicia felt when he threw the spear at them in his second year? He felt the thorns digging into his skin. Then, the Rose began to age and wither. Within thirty seconds, it was just dust. What the hell had happened? He was standing there, bleeding from a hundred small puncture wounds. Time to leave.

Harry walked out and closed the door. He sensed it locking down. Ascending the steps, he touched the bannister and the upper stairs descended, hiding the entrance to the vault. With a light 'Kachunk' it was completely hidden. Like there was nothing below.

Walking out, Bill immediately approached him. "Harry? What the hell happened? You're bleeding!"

"I know. Let's go home, Bill."

Like most curse-breakers, Bill always carried a miniaturised first aid kit. He applied a bit of Dittany to the worst wounds and Antiseptic to the others. They stopped at Mrs. Figg's and she helped re-apply the Dittany and cleaned him up. Bill didn't think there would be scarring. Harry just felt tired and exhausted. When he got back home, he thanked Bill profusely and went to his bed room.

Once he got home, he examined the wands and called for Pipsey.

"Pipsey, were these my parent's wands?"

Pipsey nodded solemnly. She seemed so sad.

Harry wanted to know more. "Which one belonged to my dad?"

Pipsey pointed to the mahogany wand, "This is little James' wand." She pointed to the other and said, "That wand be's Miss Lily's."

"Thanks, Pipsey. Do you know whose dagger this was?"

She looked at it and shook her head, saying, "'Twas in Baby Harry's room. I moves it to the vault."

Hmmm. So, Pipsey could go in and out of the vault. Good to know.

Harry looked closely at it. It was ancient and bronze. Who was Marcus Junius Brutus? There was no dizziness involved anymore, only when he first lifted the dagger. He decided to call Hermione.

After she came to the phone, he asked her "Hermione, do you know who Marcus Junius Brutus was? If so, did he have a dagger or knife?"

There was a pause on the other end and Hermione said, "That's Brutus, Harry. You know, 'Et tu Bruté?' The Roman senator who helped kill Julius Caesar? He was the last to stab him when he was assassinated. It was considered a deep betrayal as he was friends with Caesar. It set events in motion that changed the Roman Empire forever."

Harry thought about it. The dagger felt enchanted… Definitely magical. It had a kind of power to it. "I think I may have his dagger…"

"Harry, that dagger would be a priceless historical artefact. I seriously doubt you have it."

"Yeah. You're right." He didn't mean it. Where the hell had that dagger come from.

They talked for a bit and Harry ended the call twenty minutes later.

— **Dance of Death—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey, England**

**The Dursley Home**

**August 13, 1995**

Harry drifted off after practicing his occlumency. He found himself back on the patchwork path. It looked much more solid. He rushed to the end where he knew his mum would be, but he saw she was not alone. What the hell? He ran forward to confront the intruder, but stopped short when they turned.

They were arm in arm. He recognised the man.

The man had dark messy hair and wore round, wire rimmed glasses. He was slender and confident in his movements. Harry had seen this man so many times before.

The man smiled broadly at him. "Hello Harry."

Harry leapt into the man's arms and his mother joined in. The three of them were locked in a deep embrace. He knew if he ever managed to get his magic back, he'd be able to cast a Patronus from this memory. Every. Single. Time.

He was held so tightly, he could only manage to say one word.

"Dad"

— **Dance of Death—**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, moving along. Harry now has been reunited with his father's incarnation. James' incarnation has been residing in the dagger that was originally intended to house Voldemort's horcrux. Because his incarnation filled the dagger, the soul shard Voldemort had prepared for the dagger had to find another place – Harry. Now the Horcrux is gone and James' incarnation is back where it was always intended. And it only took twenty chapters to get here.
> 
> It took me a while to settle on an object. I considered a Griffindor dirk, a Slytherin wand, a Merlin staff... whatever. But I think the knife to killed Julius Caesar is good enough. Pretty cool actually.
> 
> Harry is now also merged with a Rose and with an elemental named Oakheart. He is slowly healing and things are less grim. Tennis and Boxing are working out well for Harry. Both seem to align with his prior training. He will be home schooled, but has no plans to go back to Hogwarts permanently. Sirius is due for a trial in just under two weeks – August 25.
> 
> At the Malfoy manor, things are not looking up. Narcissa, is in a constant state of panic. Likely, Draco is as well. Voldemort has moved in and the man is a psychotic and sadistic monster. Sirius has done all kinds of financial and social damage to the deatheaters and they are not happy about it. They can't really afford to wage a war without depleting their vaults, so it's all or nothing. The only way to regain their status is to win the war.
> 
> Next up: The Trial of Sirius Black. Also, Home Schooling!


	22. Chapter 22

**JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, the star of the show. She is the creator of the world I write in.**

**FASA owns Earthdawn, who I borrow many ideas from**

**I plan to focus on the next three chapters in this story before going back to Casting Shadows. My goal is to wrap up through Sirius' trial before giving any attention to my other story. It's going to be a bumpy ride.**

**So, a quick recap of the last chapter.**

**Sirius Black is awaiting a trial in Britain, but he was cleared by an ICW hearing and now Britain is taking heat internationally for their treatment of him. Sirius Black has activated magical clauses in a number of contracts Arcturus created to impact the funds of the Deatheater families, impacting their ability to support Voldemort. Wars aren't cheap, and now there's a lot less money.**

**Fudge is trying to weasel out of any personal lawsuits and is using the trial as a leverage point while also publicly siding with Sirius on his mistreatment. To this end, he has delayed the trial until early October. Amelia Bones has made public her interrogation of Peter Pettigrew and it is now clear that all Marked Deatheaters willingly took the Mark and are guilty as sin. Sadly, they cannot be re-tried in court, but they have definitely been found guilty in public opinion. Fortunately for Fudge, it was the previous administration that cleared them. Fudge has been shrewd enough to distance himself from the families he used to consort with.**

**Harry finally recovered the 'Horcrux' containing his father's incarnation and was able to absorb James' incarnation into himself. In the process, he recovered and bonded with the Everliving Flower that is somehow connected to Oakheart. These key points are allowing his magic to slowly re-integrate itself.**

**A week before finding the Horcrux on August 13, Harry had a birthday party at the Weasley's. He turned 15 years old and had a poor encounter with Dumbledore and Amelia Bones. This is where we pick up.**

**I highly recommend going back and re-reading the sections with Albus' point of view in Chapters 15, 16, and 18. It gives good insight in some of his decisions. Albus' biggest fault is in his massive hubris and secretive nature. He really does want to help Harry, but his actions and attempts frequently backfire on him. And yes, he does have a temper, just like most people. Harry is very good at pushing his buttons and getting him worked up. I imagine he frequently wishes he could go back and repeat most of his interactions.**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.**

— **Dance of Death—**

**Chapter 22 – Road to Recovery**

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

**Headmaster's Quarters**

**Monday, August 7 1995**

For the hundredth time this year, Dumbledore wondered why he just couldn't catch a break where Harry Potter was concerned. Wishing for something to lift his spirits, Albus looked over at Fawkes' stand. The Phoenix was out and about today. No Phoenix would ever be content to stay in one place for long, but Albus wished he were here now. He could use the uplifting encouragement that only Fawkes could give. Perhaps he would be back in a day or three. Or next month. One never knew with Fawkes. Sometimes, Albus wondered which of them was really in charge.

Back to the task at hand, he reflected on the poor outcome of Harry's birthday party. He thought he could repair some of his mistakes in the past by giving Harry the watch his parents had enchanted for him. It was a marvel of workmanship and would bring him years of joy. The fact that he would be able to hear his parent's voices made it truly special. Albus had hoped it would help bridge the divide between the two of them.

Then, Amelia ruined it. He never should have allowed the woman to accompany him. She had been so desperate to help Harry, he thought she would help. Especially given the way she had gone after the Deatheaters following Peter Pettigrew's interrogation. She was supposed to merely invite Harry to stay at her manor. That was the plan… it's what she told him she wanted to do. But the punitive clauses in the alliance contract were weighing on her. And much of this was his own fault. He had facilitated the ending of the alliance with trickery. Yes, he had advised against it, but in the end he allowed it. As Harry's guardian, he failed them all. Of course, if he had known it was a Tier One alliance, he would have proceeded far differently. Mistakes all around.

Harry had so much raw magic power that he could donate enough of it to reinstate the alliance and still have sufficient magic left over to function as a normal wizard. Not a _powerful_ one, but very functional. He would be… about average. On par with Ronald Weasley, by rough estimates. Assuming his magical core ever healed, which was **very** unlikely. Still, if the coming war went poorly, Harry would need a safe haven. Bones Manor would have been perfect.

He had planned to discuss all this with Harry privately, but that was off the table now. Amelia was devastated and now their relationship was in ruins. Both with the Bones family and with him. All these years spent protecting the boy, and now… Yes, he had made mistakes, but who doesn't? The Horcrux had been the source of so much pain and so many of the decisions Albus had made. Now it was gone, but the damage was done. The boy's magical pattern was shredded, Harry trusted only a half dozen or so people, and **_hated_** the rest. How could he ever be happy with so much distrust and hatred? If he could see it in his heart to simply _forgive_ his peers, he would be welcomed back and the healing could begin.

To that end, Albus had spent a great deal of time designing a wandless curriculum for Harry. It took quite a bit of work and schedule changes to make it possible, but it was a good plan. Severus had protested, but Minerva, Fillius, and Pomona were all on board. The poor boy was scarred from the abuses he had suffered. And so many of those he had clashed with were scarred as well. Based on what he had observed and what the heads of house had shared, many students were deeply ashamed of their own actions. They had no way of knowing a Horcrux was affecting them. And they could never be told. If Harry could just spend time with his classmates, he would see how sorry they were…

Arthur had convinced him to give it up. He had pointed out how forcing Harry to return may have been a bad idea. To bring him back and surround him with students able to use magic… while he was, for all intents and purposes, a squib… it wouldn't be healthy for him. Still, Harry needed help.

But how to get Harry help? The boy had so much potential… He showed them all how kind and selfless he was when he divided up the Basilisk funds. He even used it to pay for Miss Weasley's…

A smile began to form on Albus' face. Young Harry would thank him one day. Not today. Not tomorrow… but one day.

Albus Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling away.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Diagon Alley**

**Friday, August 17 1995**

Harry took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. He focused on the small waterfall fountain that was running on the side table. He knew he should be angrier about this, but the venomous and sometimes violent anger just wasn't there. Honestly, since the graveyard, he had yet to explode into any of his trademark outbursts. Oh, he could fake it good enough, but the crazy temper just wasn't there anymore. Being here now was just another manipulative tactic from Dumbledore.

The woman sitting in front of him was in her late thirties to early forties and had a casual demeanour about her. She was wearing a comfortable outfit of blue jeans and simple blouse. She had light brown hair and was a little overweight. She seemed very normal. Harry was now stuck with her for an hour and a half, twice a week, with no say in the matter. She probably knew it, too. First, Dumbledore made this a requirement for Home Studies. Then Ginny got all excited and went overboard with the affection. Stuck. No way out. The window maybe? Could he use that avenue? The thought brought a smile to his face. The woman in front of him noticed his expression and smiled as well.

"It's nice to see you smile, Harry. I was beginning to think this was going to be another grim and angst ridden session."

Doctor Gaines had a good sense of humour. She was a squib who specialised in Child Psychology and Psychotherapy* focusing on trauma recovery. She had done wonders for Ginny after the Chamber of Secrets fiasco, but Harry really just didn't see the point for him. Still, Ginny was so happy with him… And after he had praised her courage when she started… He was stuck. Dumbledore signed off on home schooling as long as Harry had regular sessions with a therapist. Bill was nice about it, but he agreed with Dumbledore. Uncle Vernon hummed and hawed but admitted that he thought it was a good idea. Especially considering that the therapist went to a muggle university. Even Sirius refused to bail him out from Switzerland. Surely he could have done _something_. Used his family lawyers, maybe? Nope. Instead, he picked up the tab. Damn traitor.

This was their second meeting and the first had been unbelievably awkward. Harry accused her of being a spy for either Dumbledore or the Deatheaters. The little fountain actually froze over when he had an unexpected burst of magic. Small bouts of accidental magic had been happening from time to time. Nothing over the top, just small effects.

"I'm glad you were able to fix the fountain. I thought maybe I broke it." The fountain was calming. Of course, that's probably what it was intended for.

"Well, Harry, I actually have spares. The one that 'froze up' had to be tossed." With a shrug, she added, "They're pretty cheap. Now, why don't you share what you were smiling about?"

Harry grimaced. "I was considering the odds of leaping through the window without getting hurt."

"I'm not going to lie, Harry… That seems like an overreaction. Especially considering the door isn't locked and you can just walk out. But, I'd rather you stay. However, if you would like to leap through the window at the end of our session, I'd be glad to open it for you." The last bit was delivered with a half-smile that wasn't _quite_ a smirk. Do middle-aged people smirk?

In spite of himself, Harry chuckled. "I think I'll just walk out when were done." He took another breath. "So, where do we start?"

"Let's start by discussing last session. What's happened that makes you so reluctant to trust people? I know it's not me, I'm _extremely_ charming."

Harry chuckled and understood now why Ginny liked this woman so much. She was pretty cool. She was funny, too. "I really don't know where to begin." What he wanted to say was: 'I don't need you arresting the Dursleys and freaking out about Voldemort's return.'

She seemed to have expected this. "Let's start with school. I know you don't want to go back and I know your last year there was awful, but can you tell me about your first year at Hogwarts?"

Harry shrugged. "OK – Harry Potter, year one…" Buckle up doc, you're in for a ride.

— **Dance of Death—**

An hour and a half later, Harry walked out of the office door. It had been a rough ride and Dr. Gaines had taken a great many notes. A few times, she seemed to doubt him, but kept her thoughts to herself. Harry had forgotten just how rough his time at Hogwarts was. They still had more ground to cover from first year, having stopped after the Troll in the bathroom. Wait till she heard about Voldemort.

Arthur Weasley was still his magical contact person for medical issues and would no doubt vouch for his stories. Harry made a point of telling her she could verify his story with either Arthur or Bill. Doctor Gaines had made a point of discussing privacy and permissions. Unless he gave her permission, she would keep his confidence. The only exception was if there was a risk to his or another's health or safety.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were waiting for him when he came out. Ginny was there as well. Doctor Gaines asked Arthur to come back with her. To his credit, Mr. Weasley didn't seem thrilled. Head doctors make most people a little nervous.

Ginny came over and hugged him. "So, how was today? You didn't break anything this time, did you?" They both had a good laugh at that. Ginny was pretty cool. She had apparently been shopping for school supplies. Harry noted a few bags from Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Nah, but it's still early. I may break something before I leave." Then, pointing to her bag, he added, "So, I guess you're back on the team."

Ginny squirmed a bit, "Yeah…" She knew how they had treated Harry last year. She hoped he'd understand. She loved Quidditch.

Harry noted her discomfort, "They're lucky to have you. Say hi to Katie for me." Harry hoped he wasn't sneering. At best he came across as flat.

"I will." After a slight pause, she added, "You know this doesn't mean I'm _friends_ with them, right?" She sounded a little anxious as she said that.

Guilt. He didn't want to take this away from her. "Look, just because _I don't like them_ , doesn't mean _you_ can't. Honestly, my issue is mostly with Alicia and Angelina. Seeing how your brothers are close with them, you should make the effort. Quidditch is best when you're friends with your team mates." There. He said it and managed to hold down his lunch.

Ginny nodded. She then quietly said, "Thanks, Harry. I know… Well, I mean… I'm still _mad_ at them… "

"Forget it. Just make sure to kick Cho's ass on the field. I still don't like that bitch." Mrs. Weasley had apparently been listening while pretending not to. She fidgeted about when Harry cursed. "Sorry, Mrs. Weasley."

Molly just looked sadly at him and smiled. She knew what Cho had done to Harry. What was the world coming to when children can be so cruel? So sad.

Soon Arthur came out. Harry noted that Dr. Gaines seemed less than happy. Mr. Weasley gave Harry that calm smile he was so known for. Alright, somethings up. Harry just waited for the other shoe to drop.

Mr. Weasley calmly asked, "Harry, would you mind coming back into the office for a moment?"

Harry gave Ginny a pained look and walked back into Dr. Gaines office. Mr. Weasley looked embarrassed and Dr. Gains looked upset. Oh, boy. Harry began trying to think of a joke he could tell, but all he knew were the ones Fred and George liked repeating. Those were kind of inappropriate.

Dr. Gaines spoke first, "Harry, Arthur has not only verified your accounts, but he added a few extra elements you left out. About your Aunt and Uncle." She searched a moment before adding, "First of all, there seems to be a huge behavioural issue at Hogwarts and that's **not alright**. Secondly, I am obligated to report any instances of neglect or abuse. We're only going to make progress if you are open and honest with me." She had somehow said all of that in a calm way, but Harry could tell she was less than calm.

Harry ran his hand through his hair, "Dr. Gaines, it wasn't their fault. There was a… curse on me. Bill was working to find a way to fix it when it was removed. The removal of the curse is what damaged my magic. It's not fair to blame the Dursleys. They never beat me. And they feel awful about those years. We do all kinds of fun stuff together now, and Dudley is like a big brother. Honestly, I didn't mind the cupboard, it was actually pretty cool." He then tried to lighten the mood with a small joke, "Spiders don't bother me at all now." No one laughed. Arthur looked like he was on the verge of tears. Good grief. Sensitive men…

"Harry, I'd like to meet your relatives before I make a decision about reporting them to the authorities. I need to know things are better now. Your treatment was **_not_** okay and **_you need to know that_**."

Harry thought about this and realised he might be able to de-rail the whole therapy thing. "You know today was nothing compared to what's to come. If this bothered you, I'm not sure… Are you really up to this?" Just a little extra pressure. This might actually work. "I've seen all three unforgivable in use, I've killed in self-defence, I've been held under the Cruciatus curse, I've had the Imperious curse used on me, I've been bitten by a basilisk and I've had an entire school turn against me."

Harry intended to stop here, but he seemed unable to stop. "I was cursed constantly as I walk through the halls. Teachers refused to help me, most adults just prove to me how rotten they are… A corrupt ministry badmouthing me and trying to control me… Dementors feeding on me… I can't even describe how bad that feels… A godfather who was tossed into Azkaban and left there for more than a decade… without a trial… Now he's broken, too… His trial has been delayed... Humiliation at a dance… People laughing at me… I was cursed so bad I almost died while walking across a courtyard… Then I was tricked into ending an alliance with a family that should have helped me, but didn't want to... My pet Snake was murdered and cut up for potions ingredients… What no one seems to understand is that, being a Parselmouth, we were friends… He had a name. Franklin… Oh, and let's not forget, the goblins dropped me the moment I lost my magic… I won the damn cup for them, and they threw me in the bin like yesterday's trash… The minute I was no longer useful." After a short pause, Harry added, "No, Dr. Gaines, the Dursley's were **not** that bad."

Harry didn't intend to share this much. Once he started, he just couldn't stop. God it hurt. Now he just wanted to go home. Go to bed. How did it get so damn cold? Looking over, he saw the fountain had frozen over again. Well, at least they were cheap. Harry next saw that Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had come to the door. Had they heard any of this? Please let them not have heard it.

Mr. Weasley put a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder. "It's alright, Harry. You're with friends." Harry thought it was strange how something as simple as a hand on his shoulder could mean so much. How _reassuring_ it was. Mentally he took back what he thought about sensitive men. Not so bad on a dad.

Doctor Gaines seemed intensely focused. "I think we need to schedule longer sessions. I'd still like to meet the Dursleys, but I won't report anything for now. I have an office in muggle London we can meet at. If they really were under a curse, they may need a little therapy as well."

After everyone departed, Dr. Gaines packed up and left. When she got home, she fed her cat and sat down in her favorite chair to consider her day. She knew from her sessions with Ginny that the boy had fought a Basilisk, but she didn't realize how much he had _suffered_. Oh, she had read the Daily Prophet and knew what was being said, but this went beyond anything she had heard before. He had obviously started down the path to scare her off, but he lost himself in the telling of it. He needs help. The way Arthur had reacted, he seemed to believe it all. They all did. Her most famous client would also be one of her toughest. This would take time.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Privet Drive**

**Friday Morning**

**September 1, 1995**

Vernon, Petunia and Harry got up early to travel into London where they would meet the Weasley's and the Grangers for breakfast and allow Harry to say goodbye to Hermione and Ginny as they head for Platform 9 3/4. Harry had convinced Uncle Vernon to have a big breakfast at 'E Pellicci', Hermione had raved about it. She called it 'The best full English breakfast in London!'

It all worked out well as Petunia had a late morning appointment with Doctor Gaines. Dudley had departed for Smeltings two days ago and she was struggling with Dudley being so far away. Lately, she was thinking more about Lily and her parents. She never really came to terms with the loss of her family in the last Wizarding War. With another on the horizon, she seemed to be feeling all the pain that she had suppressed for so long. Doctor Gaines had offered a few private sessions to help her cope.

After breakfast and while Petunia was in therapy, Harry and Vernon talked about hanging out in a local pub and watching a little football. It was a ruse. They would quietly go to Harrods for Vernon's favorite tea. It was a proprietary blend: Earl Grey No 42. With a wedge of lemon, this tea was the most amazing tea on earth. Vernon loved it but hated going to Harrods with Petunia. The woman would stay there for hours. Vernon and Harry quietly planned to pick up a few tins and Petunia would never know…

The Grangers were there early and Hermione ran to meet Harry. "Harry! This was a brilliant idea." After the hug, she looked a bit confused and said, "You're so… solid." Shaking off that thought, Hermione added, "Oh, hello Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. Thank you for suggesting this."

Dan was right there with his wife Emma. Vernon greeted the man warmly and the adults were all talking and complimenting each other. Vernon asked about Dan's Golf game and joked about his own crazy slice. Emma and Petunia were soon talking about gardening. The group was led to the back where a very large table reserved for them. Given the size of the Weasley family, that made a party of twelve. Assuming only the school aged 'kids' show up. Hermione and Harry elected to wait outside for the Weasleys.

Hermione started in on him immediately. "Harry, how did you get so… solid? When I hugged you, I expected, well, not that." She was too polite to say 'skin and bones'.

Harry grinned sheepishly and ran his hand through his hair. "Oh, I've been hitting the gym pretty hard. Dudley and I work out five or six days a week. I've put on about three kilos, but you'd never know it. Let's see, that's about six and a half pounds?"

Hermione smiled, "Yes, Harry. It's a shame the wizarding world standardised around the old English system. The metric system is much easier. Only the United States has it easy now." She reached out and squeezed Harry's arm. "Definitely more solid. I'd say you put on pure muscle and lost a bit of fat. Six pounds in a month is a lot."

Harry loved the compliment. When it was just Hermione, he didn't mind the attention. "Thanks. My trainer has me on a high protein diet. High calorie too, but pretty healthy. But enough of that, are you excited about Hogwarts? This is your OWL year."

Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out a Prefect Badge. "I made Prefect, Harry! I also have my study plan all laid out for the year. I plan to get all 'O's' on the OWLs and with my Prefect duties, that's going to be a challenge."

"You can do it, Hermione. If anyone can, it's you. Who's the other Prefect?" Harry didn't really care, but he knew Gryffindor didn't have any high achievers in his year among the boys. He'd hope for Neville but bet on Dean.

Hermione looked a bit pensive. "It's Ron, Harry."

Harry burst into laughter. Seeing Hermione's face, he realized this was not the reaction she expected. "Come on, Hermione! Ron? Lazy old 'let's play chess' Ron? You better adjust your schedule to make room for covering his duties as well as your own." Harry shook his head and laughed a bit more. McGonagall was a fool to appoint Ron.

"I gave myself some flex time to assist him. Harry, you can't stay mad forever, it's not healthy. Especially if you want things to be good with Ginny." Hermione looked a bit sad. "Ron and the twins feel really bad about last year, you should think about being friends again."

Harry slowly stopped laughing. "I'm civil, Hermione. Don't you remember last year? All the trips to the infirmary? The taunting… the cursing. That damn Declaration of... Eiectio? I hate pronouncing it."

Hermione took his hand. "I know Harry. I would… struggle with forgiveness, too. I'm sorry." After a moment, she added "I really just want you to be happy."

"Thanks, Mione. I feel the same about you." And he did.

"How's Sirius?"

Harry groaned, "His trial was delayed more than a month. Fudge is using the trial as a negotiation point in his own lawsuit." His frustration was apparent.

Deciding to change the subject before the Weasley's arrive, Hermione asked a more personal question, "So, how are things with Ginny?"

Harry beamed at that, "Amazing! We write each other all the time. I wish she had a phone so I could call her like I call you, but that's ok. We even meet at Mrs. Figg's house on the weekends, she's the squib that lives down the street. The Dursleys seem to get along alright with Mr. Weasley." Harry then winced and added, "They don't really like Mrs. Weasley, though. They think she's pushy. And if **_my_** relatives think that…" Harry made a funny face with the last comment.

At that, Hermione laughed. "Yep. My parents think she's overbearing." She then added, "She means well."

Harry nodded. Mrs. Weasley had a good heart.

Soon the Weasley's arrived, they were about fifteen minutes late and they were just as loud and chaotic a group as Harry remembered. He liked the idea of a large family. Harry was reasonably polite to Fred and George. Slightly less with Ron, but not in an obvious way. More of a 'professional' interaction. Ginny, on the other hand ran up and hugged Harry, talking a mile a minute.

They all went inside and had an excellent breakfast. It was a fun meal and Harry loved seeing Hermione and Ginny. Ron made some polite overtures and Hermione always included him. Harry knew what she was angling for, but he was done with Ron. He could forgive, but he wasn't ready to forget. For Ginny and Bill's sake, he let most of his animosity go. Hopefully, Ron wouldn't think that meant they were mates again. Friendly acquaintances was all they would ever be.

When breakfast wrapped up, Harry took Ginny over to the boot of his Uncle's car. Opening it, he pulled out his Firebolt.

"I can't ride this now. Madame Pomfrey says I'll never be able to, but I disagree. Still, it'll be a while before I'm able. A Firebolt needs to be ridden." Harry saw the shock in Ginny's eyes as she was beginning to realise where this conversation was going. "So, Ginny, how about you keep it in form for me? Ride the hell out of it and keep it in tune."

Ginny looked at it in shock. "Harry, I couldn't! That's a Firebolt!"

Harry smiled, "You can and you should. I want you to ride it. When I'm healed up, you can give it back."

Ginny got a mischievous look, "I don't know… If I get too used to it, it might be hard to give back. You may have to race me for it."

Harry laughed and hugged her.

"I wish you were coming with me, Harry! This sucks."

"I know, Ginny. But I'll write so much Hedwig will think she lives there. And we'll still see each other during the holidays. Just don't go chasing after any Quidditch guys while I'm away." He added the last part as a joke. But he kind of meant it.

"Don't you worry about that, Harry! I'm a one-wizard kind of witch." And she kissed him. It was a good kiss. More than a peck, but still innocent. It was sweet and loving. He'd think about that kiss a lot over the coming year. That and the way her hair smelled. He pulled her into a tight hug.

"I love you, Ginny."

"I love you too, Harry."

— **Dance of Death—**

**Privet Drive**

**Friday Evening**

**September 1, 1995**

That night, Harry reflected on his day. He saw his two closest friends and felt closer to Ginny than ever. Then, he watched them both go to King's Cross Station and Hogwarts. Had he made the right decision, rejecting Dumbledore's offer? On the one hand, he would see his friends regularly. On the other, he'd have to put up with Dumbledore and McGonagall every single day. And Snape. Not to mention all the students who treated him so poorly. With no usable magic, what would he do if attacked? Yeah, he made the right choice.

Besides, his garden was in top form. His empathetic connection with his Rose bushes was strong once more, maybe stronger than ever. That rose he somehow absorbed seemed to increase the connection a bit. And his Boxing was coming along great. It may not be magic, but between the Tennis and the Boxing, his duelling skills were staying sharp. As a bonus, he was learning how to _actually_ fight. With his fists. No, he'd never beat a Dudley in a fist fight, but he was learning how to avoid getting hit. And it was fun.

Turning out the bedside light, Harry practiced his Occlumency for about an hour, then he drifted off. Instead of his normal dreams of Quidditch, Ginny, and Boxing, Harry found himself in a large white room in front of a door. He knew he was in his dreamscape, but it had been over two weeks since his last visit. A small part of him wondered if this was a trap, but he threw caution to the winds and opened the door.

The door dissolved away and Harry found himself in a dense forest. Fir and Pine was the predominant scent, but there was Oak and moss as well. Underneath it all was a prominent scent of Roses. Harry was on a path that wound out in front of him and went deeper into the forest. Instinctively, he knew where the path went. As he walked along, he could feel the magic. It was his magic… with Oak and Roses. Powerful. Occasionally, he would encounter areas that were barren, but growth was emerging around the fringes. He also saw a few rotten trees, but they had fresh growth rising around them. One entire area was completely razed, but, new growth was scattered throughout. He was healing.

After walking for what seemed like hours, Harry came to a clearing. In the middle of the grass filled clearing was a house he knew well. It was his dream house. Well, his parent's house. He wanted to sprint up and run inside, but he didn't. Harry focused on staying calm so as not to accidentally wake up. He slowly made his way to the house and noted the multitude of Rose bushes all around the home. These were new. They were lush and primal feeling. Untamed, but not aggressive. Their flowers were so dark red they looked black. They matched the Rose he had bonded with.

Stepping up, Harry knocked on the door and waited. Within a few seconds, the door opened and his parent's incarnations were smiling at him. For a few moments, no one moved, then Harry launched himself forward into their arms.

James ruffled his hair, "Just like me! Crazy mess of hair… Come in!"

The led Harry into the main room and sat on a sofa he knew well. Overall, the house had been greatly repaired. It looked almost complete, except for a few missing patches of carpet and cracks in the walls. Still, much had improved.

Harry sat between his parents and just basked in the happiness of having them both with him. The Dursleys were great… well, they were now, but this felt different.

"Mum, Dad, I've been trying to get back here for weeks. What am I doing wrong? Everything looks so much better! Why can't I use my magic? I can feel it _everywhere_."

Lily smiled and answered him, "One question at a time. Let's see, we've actually been blocking you from coming back. But it's for your own good. Think of your magic as a spinal cord and your ability to use it as your spine. Your spine was shattered and your spinal cord was shredded. The magical pattern was still there, but it was in tatters and the ability to use it was fractured into pieces. Then, I worked through you subconsciously to form a pact with Oakheart and you sealed it with the Everliving Flower. That flower is the embodiment of a Rose spirit that existed thousands of years ago. Long before Oakheart was damaged. By merging with the flower and swallowing an acorn from a pristine Oak tree, on a ley line, you and Oakheart were able to form a bond. You are helping each other. Oakheart is being purified of a corruption forced upon him long ago and your magic is being re-built. When the healing is complete, you will be awfully close to what you were before, but until then, your spine needs to be 'immobilised' to fully heal. Coming here slows down the healing. James and I both have to direct much of Oakheart's activities to ensure your magic is repaired correctly."

Harry thought on this for a moment.

James took his moment of thought and added, "You fought the good fight Harry and now you have to heal up. We are both very proud of you. Think of this as a magical 'gap year' to explore other interests. Get your OWLs in topics that are non-magical and easy. Seriously, son, after the life you've been dealing with, you deserve a good, long, break."

Lily added, "Keep taking the Boxing lessons. You seem to be really good at it. Tennis, too. I never really liked Golf, but that's your choice. But don't stop practicing your occlumency. When your magic returns, it will feel… different. Occlumency will help."

Harry nodded, then asked, "You said I would be ' _very close to what I was before'_ , and my magic will feel different. What does that mean? Will I be… fully healed?" Would I be weaker is what he really wanted to say. As Harry thought about it, he hated the idea of returning to Hogwarts and part of the reason was that he was ashamed of how far he had fallen.

James looked at Lily, "Lils, you want to take this?"

Lily rubbed her chin a moment, lost in thought, "Yes and no. You had a great many _natural talents_ that the Horcrux blocked. The only one it didn't block was the Parselmouth, but it did prevent you from commanding Serpents. Unless you were never really able to do that. It's a bit hazy there as both you, and the soul shard you were infected with, shared the talent. You should have naturally become an Owl by now. Instead, you are only able to partially transform. Your eyes and your perception. But as a natural Animagus, there should be a few other forms. You may still be able to transform into an Owl, but other forms… that may no longer be possible."

"Shite." Knowing he lost something, before ever having it, really ticked Harry off. But at least he was alive.

After a moment, Harry calmed down, and Lily continued, "You displayed some degree of Metamorphmagus abilities, but only to the tune of making your hair grow. I don't see that in your future. But honestly, I can't say that's a bad thing. Metamorphmagus Wizards and Witches tend to be viewed with suspicion and distrust. And it may have only been very limited." James scoffed when Lily said that and she shot him a warning look before continuing. "Contact magic was my thing, and you used to use it a lot as a baby… it's like basic magic without a wand, but it requires physical contact. I used to use it before I got my letter to make flowers bloom and fly through the air. Other minor stuff, too. It can be useful, but it's not anywhere near as powerful as what you can do with a wand. Or a spell matrix. You never used them after the soul shard took up residence, so those abilities are probably going to stay suppressed."

Harry slowly sat back on the sofa, thinking about what might have been.

James saw how depressed this was making his son. The young man he had missed for so many years. He looked at Lily, then offered a bit of encouragement. "Maybe in time, you can work through the… scar tissue… and use them to a degree, a little bit. It will never be quite the same. But think about how you adjusted to the 'blockage'. You did so much more with your Animagus abilities while still in human form. With a little effort, you should be able to get a solid Owl form. And the way you have been partially transforming since early childhood is unbelievably rare." Seeing Harry perk up a bit, he added, "Keep exploring that, son. I kid you not, 99% of the Animagus population never achieves even a tenth of that level of control. Night vision? Hyper reaction speed? That crazy hearing… Amazing. Probably has something to do with the latent Metamorph abilities blending with the Animagus. The most I ever had was a bit of extra athletics and agility. And your mother's right, nobody trusts a metamorph. At best, people would try to control you."

That snapped Harry out of his gloom.

Lily saw the effect James' pep talk had. God she had missed that man. "Your spell matrixes*** will have to be rebuilt, but at least you know how to do it. It'll take time, but nowhere near as long as last time. Remember all those years we spent in this very house building them."

And Harry was now smiling. "I remember. We had so many good times here." The memories were flooding back. They were so vivid and clear. In the past they were cloudy, the horcrux used to block the memories he had in his dreamscape.

"Harry, you can access all that knowledge now. Just make sure to hold off on using any magic, no matter how minor. James and I can block most of the voluntary magic, but you need to focus on avoiding it too. You need to make a focused effort to avoid using magic for a while. Seven or eight months would be good. A year would be better. That way the foundations will be healed. The Owl-like senses are a part of you and won't disrupt the healing, but you still shouldn't push it. Same with the magic sensing and speaking to Snakes. They're passive, so the risk is probably zero, but why chance it?"

Harry nodded. He could do that. And OWLs were Eight months away… perfect.

Harry thought a bit. "OK, I can probably become and Owl. The weird hyper-perception comes and goes, so I don't think that's really an issue. Talking to Snakes and sensing magic are OK, but don't push it. Forget the other abilities… I never had 'em and I never will. So, I'm basically a slightly watered down version of what I was." Better than being a squib…

Harry noted his parents looked at each other, then Lily caught his eye.

"No, Harry. You will **not** be watered down. That's another reason for you to avoid using magic. You are merged with an ancient plant spirit – the Rose. That spirit ties you to Oakheart, an Elder Elemental. He is rebuilding and healing your magic while your 'purity' cleanses him of corruption. In some ways, you're going to be _more_ powerful. In others, slightly less. Your magical limits will be extended. You'll last longer while casting at full strength. In a few years, you'll have all the raw power you _would have had_ before, only without the 'Horcrux' to hold you back. You already know your sensitivity to magic is stronger. The sensitivity is still there, but now without the pain. As your magic is repaired, you should be able to get a better 'read' on the magic you sense. Enchanters often have to use rituals and wear special glasses to have what you will have naturally."

Harry remembered how painful being around magic was for him right after his magic was damaged. Even before merging with the flower and connecting to Oakheart. It got better a few weeks afterward.

James picked up where Lily stopped, "You'll also have more magical growth potential over your life. It won't be something you notice until you're in your forties, but your theoretical limits are now higher. Your connection to the astral plane will be stronger and otherworldly spirits will _notice_ you more. Like how your mother says you're 'noticed' by Serpents when speaking Parseltongue. That's not really good or bad, but it _will_ be there. The elemental magic will sing for you, Harry. But then, it already did. Soon, I'll introduce you to advanced Illusionist magic. This is something I'll be looking forward to teach you when you heal up. That and Transfiguration. According to Lils, you are already good at Transfiguration, but I can get you to a mastery. There are very few Transfiguration masters in this world. When combined with illusions and battle tactics…"

Harry was feeling a little better now. "So, basically, I won't be _diminished_ magically, but I'll be different. I guess, I can live with that." He was guardedly optimistic now. Pretty cool. Just avoid magic for a year or so. Still, being a Metamorph would have been amazing. Maybe in another life…

Lily looked concerned, but added, "Don't focus too much on just _power_ , Harry. Being in tune with your magic and having a happy life is **far** more important than raw power."

James then added with a smirk, "But you'll have plenty of raw power, too."

The rest of the evening was spent talking about family and happier times. Due to the 'rebuilding efforts' on his magical core, Harry would only have access to his dreamscape once a month or so. He had to let things be for a while. His mum was amazing and his dad was pretty cool. Every month, he'd come back.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Surrey Boxing Club**

**Thursday, September 21, 1995**

Harry was hitting the gym hard. Lou was putting him through the paces and now that Dudley had gone back to school, Harry had his full attention. He was sweating profusely and really pushing Himself. Harry continued to improve on speed and footwork, Lou was showing him how to move in close and 'go to the body'. Lou progressed Harry rapidly, noting that he had received some kind of training to move the way he did. Apparently, Lou thought he was a hell of a close-in fighter. He was currently training Harry to close in as fast as possible, rather than hover at arm's reach.

At the end of the workout, Lou took Harry aside. "Look, Whiplash… Ya got all the tools ya need. Just gotta pull'em togetha – ya know? I neva saw anyone so hard ta hit before. Get in close and go to da body. Do that and da big guys can't hit ya. They can still grab ya, but not if ya bust up their ribs, see?"

Harry listened. Lou was a rough man who really saw potential in him. "Right, coach. But how do you move in without getting clobbered?" Lou's accent could make it tough to understand, but the voice was always crystal clear. If he didn't have the rough accent, he would have been an amazing speaker.

Lou smiled, obviously, he had hoped Harry would ask that, "Timing, Whiplash! Rhythm and timing are a boxer's friend. When combined with speed and power, ya can't be beat!" Lou thought a moment, then added. "Ya got the speed, yer developin the rhythm. Timing'll be a snap. Power ain't something you got a lotta, though. Hard work'll help, but you ain't ever gonna be like yer brother. And he absolutely ain't gonna have yer speed. No one in da whole gym has yer speed." He was obviously pleased with Harry's progress over the last two months. Move in faster and go to the body. Good plan.

Harry nodded. No wonder Dudley loved Boxing so much. Lou really was a gifted teacher. Harry was already one of the best flyweights in the gym and only a couple fighters could out manoeuvre him. Give him a few years and he'd be amazing. Maybe he and Dudley could be on the same team at Smeltings. Harry went to shower up and jog home. He sometimes laughed about showering before jogging home, but Dudley said the hot water was good after a workout. Yeah, he liked the heat of the water beating down on him. These intense workouts helped him channel his anger and frustration. His accidental magic seemed to spike up when stressed and angry, so he made a point to push himself.

The last month had been intense. The Dursleys met his therapist and a lot of pain came out. They were furious about being 'cursed' and no matter what Harry said, they were certain Dumbledore must have done it. The guilt and pain was palpable. In the end, the therapist offered to give family counselling, saying it would help them all. Vernon reluctantly agreed. Petunia was far more eager. She had a lot of guilt and pain over her fall out with Lily. She also confessed that Uncle Vernon had an eating disorder and tended to overeat when he became angry. Dudley still felt bad about 'Harry Hunting' and all the bullying he did when he was younger. He expressed a desire to help other kids and Doctor Gaines gave him a bit of advice in that direction. She also agreed to meet with him on breaks when he came back from school. Harry knew Sirius was footing the bill, so at least no one could claim it was too expensive.

Harry's personal sessions were now twice a week and three hours long. Currently, they had gotten through Harry's second year and would soon cover Harry's trip to Egypt. Harry admitted to feeling guilt over killing Professor Quirrell, even though the man was possessed and trying to kill him. He talked about the slain Unicorn and how much it upset him. He discussed his hatred of Draco and the Malfoy family. How Lucius Malfoy had put a cursed Diary in Ginny's bag and never had to answer for it. The way the school turned on him in his second year. How he forgave them, but came to regret it. The last session ended with his battle with the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets.

Therapy was actually making him feel better. He had been reluctant to get help, but now he was glad for it. He was feeling better about himself and his life in general. He was having to think about and work through a lot of emotional baggage he had picked up and tossed into the metaphorical attic. Maybe Sirius would benefit as well. He had an even worst life than Harry.

On another note, Harry had made the teenage Tennis team, but it disbanded after school started. That's ok, there was always next year. He had a lesson a week and it was something he was good at. His real passion was Boxing, but Tennis would help if he ever got his magic back. He'd practice from time to time against the machine or another one of Sergio's students. Cardio would not be a problem after this year. Between Boxing and Tennis, Harry was exercising more than he ever had before. Quidditch took stamina, but it wasn't really Cardio.

Harry made a point to write Ginny every other day. He also wrote Hermione, Luna, and Neville weekly. He was hearing horrible reports about Hogwarts. Apparently, some diminutive nightmare in a pink cardigan had come in and taken over. She was, by description, an even worse teacher than Lockhart, if you can believe it. Apparently, she was trying to gather information on Dumbledore and Harry. Maybe staying home this year was an even better idea than he had thought. Hermione was going nuts over the lack of training in defence and was even talking about forming a study group with Ron and Cedric. Harry considered this. Cedric was a jackass**, but he knew a thing or two about duelling and fighting. Whatever.

Ginny made the Quidditch team, and so did Ron. Ginny made sense, especially with his Firebolt, but Ron? No way. He always cracked under pressure and hated to practice almost as much as he hated studying. Maybe that's just a bit of pettiness talking. Good luck Ron. Well, the keeper is always in the hot seat. Hopefully, Ron was ready for it. Harry couldn't help but grin a little. He didn't want to… well, yes he did. Screw you, Ron.

Neville was doing well in Herbology. He didn't mind the crappy defence instruction, he was content in the greenhouses. He also liked runes and arithmancy. Neville was such a calm person. Hopefully Snape and McGonagall weren't making him miserable.

Luna's letters were fun. She even illustrated the letters. She was not a gifted artist, but the pictures were funny. One illustration captured Snape mixing potions while dripping oil. God, he loved Luna. On a whim, he started sending her specially chosen pages from the Surrey Times. The horoscope, the business section, the obituaries and a few others. Just for kicks, he sent her the Sunday comics as well. She loved it. She had started making theories around Dilbert and decided Garfield is obviously a Kneazle. She even had theory that Calvin and Hobbes was really a story about Harry and Hedwig. What on earth would he do without Luna to brighten his day?

Home schooling began at the beginning of September and it was intense. With a few exceptions, most of the training was at a NEWT level due to the training his mother's incarnation had given him over the years. Remus taught him History of Magic and Arithmancy. Remus noted Harry was already at a NEWT level in Arithmancy and that made him 'up his teaching game' a bit. History of Magic, on the other hand, was awful. Harry was pretty much at the first year level. Bill trained him on Runes, Herbology and the theory behind Curse Breaking. Bill was fumbling through Herbology, but Harry had already learned most of what he needed from his mother's incarnation years ago. He could get an 'Acceptable' with zero effort. With a little preparation, an 'E' was a sure bet. Runes was an easy 'Outstanding'. He could probably get an 'Outstanding' on his NEWT exam tomorrow. He'd be 'dinged' on not being able to 'charge up' the Rune, but only a little. Astronomy was a correspondence course and, while he enjoyed it, he felt no real passion for the topic. He'd take an 'Acceptable', but hoped for an 'Exceeds Expectations'.

So, to recap:

Arithmancy = Remus would teach, should be an easy 'O'.

History of Magic = Remus was teaching, aim for an 'E' but settle for an 'A'.

Ancient Runes = Bill was teaching, normally, this would be an easy 'O'. Unfortunately, the inability to charge of the Runes would drop him to an 'E'. Maybe his magic would recover enough to charge them. Maybe.

Herbology = Bill was teaching this, Harry saw this as a solid 'E'.

Astronomy = Correspondence Course with Sinistra, go for an 'E'.

Muggle Studies = No study necessary. Easy 'O'. The only way he would get an 'E' would be if the test was outdated.

Harry didn't tell anyone, but he was hoping his magic would be partially restored by the time of the exam. It may not be fully there, but he could certainly get an 'O' in the theory portion of Charms, Defence, Potions, and Transfiguration. As long he could make a few sparks with his wand, he might get an 'Acceptable' overall… Maybe. He'd share his plans with Bill and Remus when his magic was more developed.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Privet Drive**

**Saturday, September 30, 1995**

Harry had just finished a good workout and started home, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were in London. Last week, Aunt Petunia had discovered Harry and Uncle Vernon's Harrods outing while she had been in therapy and joyously insisted on a trip herself. Uncle Vernon had quietly told Harry to 'save himself' with a pained wink and a smile. The man had a funny side. That meant Harry had the house to himself. He may work the garden and tend the Oak tree.

While jogging, Harry was considering some of his correspondence. The last letter from Hermione, specifically. She was asking if Harry would send her a few books on duelling. Harry had a few good ones, but he didn't want to send any of the more advanced books. They were pretty rare and possibly illegal. So, if confiscated, he'd never get them back. Still, he had a good basic book that should fit the need. It was probably still sold in Diagon Alley too. Maybe he'd pop over and buy a half dozen or so.

The latest copy of the Quibbler had a cartoon section and Harry was shocked to see one of the cartoons featured, you guessed it, 'Harry and Hedwig'. It was almost exactly the same as the cartoons he had sent her with Calvin and Hobbes, but this kid had black hair and a lightning bolt scar. Good Grief. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia loved it. He thought about sending Luna one of those books you can buy with a years' worth of cartoons. Maybe he could introduce her to Peanuts. Neville would make an excellent Charlie Brown. Pansy would make an amazing Lucy. Would that be mean? Apparently there was a cartoon called 'Crookshanks' planned as well, but Hermione got mad and Luna scrapped it.

Harry was laughing away when he heard his name called.

"Potter!"

Standing to the side was Piers and a couple of Dudley's old goons. Piers was a big tall fellow and the other two were just as rough looking. Dudley was the real muscle of that group, but Piers was rather nasty looking. He and his goons all looked older than they were.

"What do you want, Piers?" Thinking a moment, he added, "Why aren't you at Smeltings?" He was a student there, right? Wasn't he? Perplexed, Harry stopped and looked them over.

Piers glowered. "Apparently, Smeltings decided I was a bit too… rebellious. So, I figure, why not come back and go to the local school. Maybe take up a few of my old hobbies."

Harry smiled. Too easy. "Ah, let me guess, paint by the numbers? Modern dance, maybe? Of course, you always struck me as a Feng shui type. Or is it your modelling career at Dumb and Ugly? No, that can't be it, your mother works there, and they frown on Nepotism." His friends were trying not to laugh, but Piers was just staring. This was usually the point where they would leave with threats and promises. Of course, Dudley was usually the one who would make them leave. Hmmm. Maybe he should stop taunting the prat.

Piers just smiled, "Actually, I was thinking about a game we used to play. 'Harry Hunting' I think we called it. Do you remember that?"

Harry thought about it. Three guys. Piers looked like the toughest, but the others were all pretty big too. Maybe he could take one or two, but three? Without magic? Forget it. They all looked strong, but out of shape. Harry had no doubt he could out run them. So, he bolted. All those bouts of 'Harry Hunting' really helped him learn to run fast. Now would be a good time to turn into an owl.

Harry heard them yelling and poured on the speed. He'd take them on one of his old escape routes. Lots of twists and turns, then a long walk home for the losers. How long had it been since he'd run this route? Three years? Four? No, had to be five or more. This is a trip down memory lane. The chase went on for a good ten minutes.

Suddenly, Harry realised the route had changed. The first clue was a brick wall with no way around it. Too high to climb. Testing the doors on the adjoining buildings, they were all locked. OK, maybe he had time to double back and get to the street. It was only about ten yards away.

Then Piers came around the corner. Holding his side and breathing hard. The other two joined him. Man, they were out of shape. But they were blocking his escape. Harry thought about those books he read last year. Combat and battle strategy. Three on one and no weapons or wand. OK, narrow the odds. Pick the leader or the biggest and call them out. In this case, it was the same guy.

"Hey, Piers. How bout we settle this, just you and me. Unless you're afraid and need your backup…" That's it, keep talking, "Come on Piers, afraid you can't handle a kid half your size?" Harry made a few chicken 'bawks' at that. Silently, he thought, please let this work. I really don't want to call Pipsey. I think I can take Piers. Maybe.

Harry raised up his fists just like he did in the gym. Only now he had no gloves, no headgear, and no rules. "Come on, coward. Let's see what you've got." Harry smiled and even winked at the larger boy.

Piers was pissed, but he wasn't sure what to do. He cursed himself for actually catching the boy, that hadn't happened in so long. He never thought it would actually come to this. Where had that damn brick wall come from? Piers knew his pop would kill him if he got in one more fight. They had to eat the Smeltings tuition, all because he messed up some stupid thirteen year old. Dudley usually backed down way before this point. Why did Big D always act scared of Potter? Last year Big D and Potter became friends and Potter was untouchable. He wondered if Dudley would kick his ass when he found out about this. But Harry made fun of him. Piers knew he had to kick his ass or the guys would think he was a coward.

No choice, really. Piers stepped up and started swinging. Harry was never in the right spot. His buddies were cheering him on, so he had to keep going. Every time he swung at Potter he'd missed. Each miss tired him out a little. He was already breathing hard when he got here, now he was practically panting. He took a super hard swing to end this quick, but Harry ducked under it.

Suddenly, Potter was right up against him, crouched low and punching him over and over. His hands were moving _so fast_. Potter wasn't overly strong, but he was strong enough. Piers couldn't breathe as the wind was knocked right out of him. All he could do was shove Potter back, but Potter just kept closing the gap and tearing up his ribs and stomach. He felt a few of his ribs give a little. Suddenly, breathing hurt like hell. _Potter was kicking his ass_! He had to end this. Crush him against the wall…

Piers pushed Harry against the wall and charged him. He thrust out his right shoulder, aiming to crush Potter between himself and the wall, then, he'd wail on the boy. He just needed to catch his breath! Potter not only ducked, but he grabbed Piers shirt on the left shoulder when he dropped, pulling it forward. This levelled out his shoulders and put his face forward. Suddenly, Piers realised he was headed straight into the wall, face first. He couldn't stop and he couldn't get his hands up in time, so he just ducked his head down and took the impact with the top of his head. With a flash of light, everything went dark.

Harry came up and looked down at his childhood tormentor. The boy was a lot bigger and stronger, and now he was lying face down on the ground. In that split second, Harry lost his sense of the battlefield. He turned his back on the enemy. Just like in the courtyard at Hogwarts. He felt two arms wrap around him and lift him up while spinning him around. The next thing he saw was a fist, right on the side of his face near his left eye. His glasses went flying and his ears began ringing. What to do… Think!

" **Oi! Put that kid down!** **Now**!" It was a rough and authoritative voice.

Harry was dropped to the ground in a heap, his eye was already swelling up. Looking up, he saw a pair of 'Bobbies' approaching. His ears were still ringing, but he staggered to his feet. The female bobby came up to him and took his arm. Harry thought, great. Handcuffs.

Making eye contact, he realised she was in her mid to late twenties with sharp features. A little tall for a woman, and larger than him. She looked… concerned? That was new. Someone in authority who actually was concerned? Harry was suddenly embarrassed. He ran his hand through his hair and immediately regretted it. He was pretty sweaty. Apparently, goon number two hit him hard enough to make his nose bleed a little. She looked over at her partner. They were both furious. Harry just stared at his feet while holding his nose. He had 'the shakes', but that normal after an adrenalin surge.

The female Bobby took him over to a squad car that had pulled up. "Take it easy, you're ok." She calmly said. She took out a first aid kit and began treating his injuries. Basically, a strip of gauze to hold over his nose and a tiny Band-Aid for the side of his face. Harry suddenly realised how this must look. Being a little small for his age, everyone thought he was thirteen or fourteen. Piers and his goons were big ugly thugs and looked to be seventeen or eighteen. Hell, two of them looked like they could shave. He was wearing a preppy jogging outfit Aunt Petunia had given him, while the other boys looked like street thugs. Well, they actually _were_ street thugs.

After she closed the first aid kit, she spoke again. "My name is Constable Stewart. Now, don't worry about those guys, they're not going to bother you again. What's your name?"

She handed him his glasses, which just completed the pathetic scene. It would be embarrassing and mortifying if it wasn't so funny. Dark Lords and Deatheaters had tried and failed. A Dragon and a Sphinx. Acromantula colony and a Basilisk. Merpeople and their tridents. Now he was reduced to a trio of common thugs.

"Thank you." He slid the glasses on. Now he could read. "My name is Harry. Harry Potter."

"Do you live around here, Harry?"

"No, ma'am. I live in Little Whinging. I ran for a while…"

She nodded. "Can we call your parents, Harry?"

"I live with my Aunt and Uncle. But they're in London today. They went shopping." She nodded again.

"Where are your parents, Harry?" She was obviously trying to get information. Trying to decide if he was lying or hiding something. Or maybe she just wanted to help.

"My parents died in a car crash…" He hated using that old line… As a cover story in Muggle England, it worked pretty well. But he still hated it. Harry noted she looked briefly at his scar. It was faded, but still visible.

"I see. Who can we call?" Now she was _definitely_ searching.

Think of something. "My Uncle should be back at the house in a few hours. Can I just go home?" Harry thought about just bolting, but she now knew his name.

"Harry, you've been attacked and injured. I need to make sure you're alright. Is there anyone else we can call? Otherwise, we can wait at the station for your aunt and uncle." Polite, but firm.

Harry thought for a minute. Mrs. Figg? No, he didn't even know if she had a phone. The Grangers? No way. Too embarrassing and too far away. Lou wouldn't be at the gym today and Harry didn't actually know the gym owners. The Weasley's didn't have a phone… Uncle Vernon had a pager****… what was the number? Damn.

Harry then reluctantly said, "Well, Maybe Doctor Gaines…" No way she'd take the call. Not on a Saturday. But at least he would look like he was cooperating.

Reluctantly, Harry handed the police officer Dr. Gaines' business card. The constable read it and crinkled her eye brows in the same way Hermione does when she's upset. Oh, no. Harry suddenly realised how this was looking. Orphan, Car Accident, Childhood Trauma... Dr. Gaines' card clearly listed her specialty as childhood trauma.

"Wait here a moment, Harry. I need to speak with my Sergeant. It's alright." She smiled in a kind way, but there was pity there too. Damn. Harry hated pity.

Looking around, Harry noted there were now at least four Bobbies present. Must be a slow day. He heard the first bobby on the scene say, "Separate the trash and take statements. Call an ambulance for that one."

Harry suddenly straightened up, were they talking about him?

Constable Stewart returned and picked up on his sudden alarm, "It's alright, Harry. Don't worry about those guys. Now, tell me what happened."

Harry told the entire story. Well, he left out the taunts he used when Piers tried to intimidate him, just saying they traded insults. He admitted to calling Piers out when he was backed into a corner so it wouldn't be three on one. No point lying. Constable Stewart listened and took notes. Apparently a neighbour saw three large men chasing a small boy and called 999. Constable Stewart said he wasn't in any trouble, but since Piers was injured, he'd have to give a statement. He could come in tomorrow if he liked. With his aunt and uncle. She then told him to wait a little longer while she took her notes to the sergeant in charge.

Harry was able to use his owl hearing to pick up on the other interrogations. One of Pier's friends cracked and admitted that they had been watching Harry for a few weeks and planned to have fun with him. Apparently, they hadn't expected him to put up a fight. Once the first boy cracked, the other soon followed suit. The Sergeant really went after the boys when he found out Harry was an orphan and these boys had been bullying him most of his life.

Harry looked across the street where a small group of gawkers were standing. He noted that one had pink hair. Another seemed vaguely familiar. Now he was feeling a bit more nervous. Exposed. He needed to get out of here before anyone recognised him from the magical world.

As he was looking for ways to leave, a black Mercedes pulled up. Dr. Gaines stepped out of the car and approached the scene. She gave a reassuring smile to Harry as she approached. She was asked for her identification and Constable Stewart met her and brought her to Harry.

"Hello, Harry. I paged your uncle and he's on the way." Dr. Gaines gently lifted his chin and looked at his cheek. "You'll probably have a shiner tomorrow, here." She placed an ice pack on the side of his face. She came prepared.

"I need to speak with the officers, for a moment. This'll be over soon enough."

"Thank you Dr. Gaines. You should know… Some of the people across the street seem… familiar to me."

Dr. Gaines knew what that meant. She glanced over and surveyed the crowd. Yep, two of the people seemed to be dressed a bit odd. Outdated. another woman had neon pink hair. Definitely not something you can buy in a bottle.

"Don't worry about that, Harry. I'm sure they mean you no harm." They better not.

Dr. Gaines caught Constable Stewart's eye. "Constable, can you tell me what happened so I can take Harry home? I'll stay with him until his Aunt and Uncle arrive."

Before she could answer, her sergeant walked over. He was a large man and he carried himself with a great deal of confidence. He looked to be about forty five or so and had a very physically imposing way about him. "Hello, ma'am. My name is Sergeant Ambrose. I understand Mr. Potter is a… client of yours?"

"Yes, Sergeant." She held out her hand. "Harry has been working with me for a couple of months now. I'm Dr. Gaines, I believe one of your co-workers called me. Can you tell me more about what happened here?"

Well, it seems these boys decided to have a bit of fun at Mr. Potter's expense. Apparently, they got more than they bargained for." He shot Harry a brief smile. Harry smiled back in spite of his embarrassment. He then proceeded to give Dr. Gaines a rundown of the event. He ended it with, "We do need a statement from Mr. Potter here so we can put wrap this up. It can be tomorrow or Monday."

Dr. Gaines nodded. "I see. Are we free to go, then?" She wanted to get Harry out of the scene as soon as possible. She'd get a run down on what happened from Harry's point of view when she got him home.

"Certainly. Mr. Potter didn't do _anything_ wrong." And he put a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder. The message was clear – Nice job.

Harry managed a low key, "Thank you, Sir." Turning to Constable Stewart, he managed a quick, "Thank you, Ma'am." God this was embarrassing.

Dr. Gaines evaluated and appraised the officers in front of her. Constable Stewart stayed by Harry's side the whole time. She seemed protective. Obviously an older sister in a large family unit of some sort. Possibly a young mother. Sergeant Ambrose was old school and saw the need to stand up to bullies. Judging from his crooked nose and rough hands, he was no stranger to fist fighting. Obviously, they both felt the need to reassure and protect the Harry. If they only knew how much this young man had seen and done. Still, it was important for Harry to see that authority figures could be trusted. Hogwarts had undermined that trust immensely.

Doctor Gaines knew it was time to get Harry out of here. "Thank you, Sergeant Ambrose. Constable Stewart."

Doctor Gaines turned to her young patient, "Let's get you home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought a throwdown with Piers was in order. Not only does it illustrate the differences between Muggle police and Wizarding police, but it sets up a key scene in the next chapter.
> 
> Dr. Gaines figures prominently in the next few chapters and will be in Casting Shadows as well. She's meant to be pretty cool. The more I wrote her, the more I liked her. I don't know anything about therapy, so I kept things vague. Same with police procedure. If I got it wrong, just fill in the blanks and don't let it ruin the story.
> 
> I plan to focus on the Dance of Death until I get past Sirius' trial. So many elements to cover.
> 
> *Psychotherapy vs Counselling – Psychotherapy is a longer-term treatment aimed at gaining a better understanding of problems a person is having. It is designed to address the root causes of emotional issues. Counselling is focused on treating symptoms and dealing with specific issues. The internet has a number of excellent sites that detail out the differences here. I am neither and have no desire to go down this road in the story other than to say it is happening and it is helpful.
> 
> **Cedric is not a jackass, but Harry is still upset over the Yule Ball. He refuses to accept either Cedric or Cho's apologies. Yep, its official, Harry is a normal teenager.
> 
> ***A Spell Matrix is an ancient magic technique of storing a spell. It is especially useful when ambient magic is low, or the Astral plane is polluted and corrupt. It is wandless and very useful.
> 
> ****In 1995, cell phones were not common. Flip phones existed, but they were pretty bulky and most professionals just carried pagers. Amazing how things have changed.


	23. Chapter 23

**JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, the star of the show. She is the creator of the world this story exists in.**

**FASA owns Earthdawn, who I borrow many ideas from.**

**I plan to focus on this and the next chapter in this story before going back to Casting Shadows. My goal is to wrap up through Sirius' trial before diverting any attention to my other story. It's going to be a bumpy ride.**

**Sirius Black is awaiting a trial in Britain, but he was cleared by an ICW hearing and now Britain is taking heat internationally for their treatment of him. Sirius Black has activated magical penalty clauses in several contracts Arcturus Black created that have caused a profound loss of wealth among many of the pureblood families, impacting their ability to support Voldemort. Wars aren't cheap, and now there's a lot less money.**

**Fudge is trying to weasel out of any personal lawsuits and is using the trial as a leverage point while also publicly siding with Sirius on his mistreatment. Amelia Bones has made public the outcome of her Peter Pettigrew's interrogation and it is now clear that the Marked Deatheaters willingly took the Mark and are guilty as sin. Sadly, they cannot be re-tried in court, but they have been found guilty in public opinion. Fortunately for Fudge, it was the previous administration that cleared them. Fudge has been shrewd enough to publicly distance himself from the families he used to consort and trade favours with.**

**Harry finally recovered the 'Horcrux' containing his father's incarnation and was able to absorb James' incarnation into himself. In the process, he recovered and bonded with the Everliving Flower, an ancient rose that is somehow connected to an ancient Elder Elemental named Oakheart. Oakheart is working to rebuild and repair his magic, but it takes time.**

**Last Chapter Recap:**

**Harry started therapy and is beginning to realise it's not so bad. The Dursleys are also getting a bit of therapy as well. Harry was able to meet with both Ginny and Hermione before they caught the Hogwarts Express and he leant Ginny his Firebolt. Harry managed to reach his Dreamscape again, but his parent's incarnations told him that he couldn't visit too often as his core was under 'repair'. In six to eight months, he should be healed up enough to use magic, but full healing would take longer. Monthly visits would work, but more frequent would slow his healing. Home schooling has begun, and Harry has no concerns about getting his OWLs. Harry faced one of his childhood tormentors and emerged with only a black eye. Unfortunately, the police became involved and Harry had to call his therapist to come and pick him up.**

**This is where we pick up.**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' For helping with this story.**

— **Dance of Death—**

**Chapter 23. Stuff Happens**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**Saturday, September 30, 1995**

The ride back to #4 Privet Drive was quiet. Dr. Gaines didn't say much, but she gave Harry the occasional reassuring smile. Harry was mortified beyond belief. But he was also rather pumped. He took out Piers, a kid that was a lot bigger than him, without breaking a sweat. Piers had been a thorn in his side as long as Harry could remember. Had it not been for the other two goons, he'd have escaped without a scratch. As it was, he had a good bruise forming at the top of his cheek beside his left eye. What had really amazed him was the way the Bobbies had acted. They were fair and professional. They were nice.

They pulled into the driveway and Harry brought Dr. Gaines inside. He prepared her a cup of tea and sat down at the table. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would be home soon. Harry proceeded to tell Dr. Gaines all about the fight and the events leading up to it. She listened carefully but didn't say much. When he wrapped up, she just said she was proud of him for trying not to fight and for standing up for himself when he had no choice.

Harry ran through the whole event again once Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia came home. Aunt Petunia was distraught, and Uncle Vernon was enraged. Harry got a glimpse of the Uncle Vernon he once feared. Dr. Gaines spent more time calming them down than Harry. In the end, Uncle Vernon was back to a normal colour and proud of Harry. He hated that it happened, but he loved that Harry stood his ground and fought Piers. Putting the bully in the hospital was icing on the cake. Dr. Gaines wrote him a prescription for high blood pressure. It was the same strength he was taking, but had a diuretic component added to it. She privately told Petunia she was worried about him. She recommended a different general practitioner.

About an hour after she left, Bill came by. He had heard about the altercation and wanted to make sure Harry was alright. Apparently, the Ministry track Muggle police reports, and this one had Harry's name all over it. Dumbledore was trying to calm down the various 'interested parties', but at least it happened far from Harry's home. As it turned out, the address had been changed before anyone could get to the police report. Still, this was viewed as a huge security risk.

Bill didn't stay long, but Harry knew he'd say more tomorrow when they had their training. He did give Vernon and Petunia an address to use in Sunbury. Vernon didn't like it, but he recognised the need after what Harry had told him when he came home from school last year. Bill could sell snow to a Penguin. Harry suspected memories would be altered to keep his residence safe.

— **Dance of Death—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**Sunday, October 1, 1995**

The next day was Sunday, Harry woke up with a dark ring under his left eye. Great. Apparently, the blood had pooled up while he slept. Well, he earned it fair and square. Hey, at least the swelling was mostly gone. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia took Harry in to give his statement. It took about an hour and a half. Sergeant Ambrose was there, but Constable Stewart was off. Piers had a lot of history with breaking the law and he was looking at more serious punishments. The other two boys had no prior infractions and were getting a slap on the wrist. The hardest part was seeing the faces of their parents. They were crushed. Harry felt bad for them. They made a point of coming over and apologising. They forced their sons to do the same. It was awful.

Was this how Dumbledore felt about the Deatheaters and their families? Did it explain some of his refusal to use lethal force? Harry shook that train of thought off. These were fifteen and sixteen-year-old kids. Deatheaters were adults who went around murdering people. Still, he couldn't help but wonder, did they start out that way? There was something weird about that mark Voldemort uses. Harry could tell it corrupted the bearer, but how much? If Dumbledore had been their teacher in school, would he have trouble seeing them as adults? The old man better wake up…

After giving his statement and leaving the station, Harry and Petunia worked in the garden and tended the Rose bushes. Harry had a stronger affinity now. It was scary how much he could tell from them. Amazing plants. The Oak tree in the back yard was looking healthy. In a few years it would be nice and strong. A central point in the back yard.

— **Dance of Death—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**Monday, October 2, 1995**

The next morning, Harry had his 7AM training with Lou, but this time Uncle Vernon was with him. He wanted to discuss Harry's training before going into work. He instructed Lou to train Harry harder and faster, which put a confused look on Lou's face. Harry was already progressing at a blistering pace.

When Lou heard about the 'attempted mugging', he caught on and said, "Ya want him to learn ta street fight. Not just Boxing." So, Harry's routine changed a little. He was still learning the same skills for when he was in the ring, but Lou hesitantly taught him a few other tricks.

He showed Harry how to use head butts, his knees, elbows, a few of the _nastier things_ that get you disqualified in the ring. At the end of their session, Lou took Harry aside and said, "Normally, I'd neva teach this, but yer a good kid. Just don't use it in da ring." They would devote about a third of their time practicing these techniques, the rest would be standard Boxing.

Harry preferred the normal Boxing training, but he could adjust. Had he simply kept his wits, that one goon never would have gotten his arms around him. Now he knew he could have thrown his head back and broken the kid's nose. Of course, in the heat of the moment, it's hard to think like that.

Harry insisted on keeping his schedule and jogging home. The distance wasn't that far, and he refused to live afraid. In truth, he _was_ nervous. One of the other gym members approached him as he prepared to leave. She was about 5'4" in height. Mid-twenties with brown hair and eyes. She had an athletic build but was kind of clumsy. She had joined up about the same time he had a few weeks ago.

"Hiya sport! Nice shiner ya got there. Mind if I jog with you?" Harry looked her over carefully. This wasn't normal. People don't just ask to jog with other people. She was too old to be 'interested' in him and she didn't even know him.

"I'm actually kind of a solo jogger. Sorry." He stretched a bit, waiting for her to leave. But she didn't.

Waiting a moment, she added, "Bill asked me to watch you."

Harry looked at her a moment and kind of chuckled. "Little late, aren't you?" Then Harry looked at her suspiciously. "Yeah, I'll take my chances. No offence, but I don't know you." Harry was thinking about his next steps in losing her when, with a smirk, she handed him a small note. Harry opened it and noted that it was in Bill's handwriting.

_Harry, this is Nymphadora Tonks._

_She is now assigned to you for security and will make sure you get home safely._

_I'll explain later during your home schooling._

_PS – Don't call her Nymphadora._

_Bill_

Harry read the letter twice. He opened his perceptions to see if it was enchanted. He may not be able to _use_ magic, but he could certainly sense it. Yep, it was enchanted. It may be a trap; it may not be. It looked like Bill's handwriting. Still…

"Ok, Ms. Tonks. I need to use the restroom first. I'll be back in a minute." Harry noted she flinched when he called her 'Ms. Tonks'. Where had he heard that name before?

Harry went inside, walked toward the rest room, and then ducked out the side door. He was pleased with himself for all of three seconds, when he heard "Wotcher, Harry." And the side door clicked shut. It locked automatically.

She was waiting for him. Smiling. Maybe she was OK, maybe she wasn't. Tonks… Tonks… He knew that name. Figure it out later.

Harry tossed his bag in her face. It was a nice, smooth motion and he followed the bag up by charging at her, only to veer off at the last moment and hook her ankle with his foot. He heard a commotion, but he didn't look back. He sprinted full speed around the building and off toward his house. He knew plenty of back yards and side streets he could cut through. Still, sprinting that far was exhausting. He finally reached his back yard after climbing a fence and collapsed in a patio chair. Well inside the blood wards.

His heart was beating furiously as he struggled to catch his breath. His legs were burning, and his lungs were too. Maybe he overreacted, but it's better to be safe than sorry. He had gotten so fast over the last few months, sure a few neighbours may complain, but he covered a lot of ground. A little scratched up from some bushes he ran through, but he learned not to let something like that slow him down.

"Wotcher, Harry."

Once again, he saw the smiling form of Nymphadora Tonks. Only now she had bright pink hair. Well, she got through the blood wards… She was _probably_ OK. She held out a glass of water for him.

Harry focused on the glass; it was not magical. He took it and sniffed the water. No scent. He was thirsty, but not **_that_** thirsty. "Thanks." Nymphadora looked amused as he sniffing the water.

Bill then stepped outside as well. "Harry, didn't you get my note?" He looked both amused and confused.

Seeing Bill brought an immense relief. "Yeah, but it was enchanted. So, I thought it might have a compulsion or something." Harry broke into laughter and settled back in the chair. "So, I guess I can drink this without having a Bezoar in hand."

After drinking almost, the entire glass, Harry wiped his mouth and, imitating Mad-Eye Moody, he proclaimed, "Constant Vigilance!"

Nymphadora laughed hard at that. Bill just groaned. "I didn't know you could still do that. The enchantment made it so only you could read it. We should work on training you to recognise different enchantment signatures."

Nymphadora did a double take, "Wait, you can do that? Sense magic?"

Harry stared at her for a minute. "Yeah. I've always been able to. Since my accident, it's a lot more sensitive." Looking at the woman, Harry suddenly recognised the hair. "So, Ms. Tonks, were you at my fight Saturday? And how do I recognise your name?"

"First of all, you can just call me Tonks. Everyone else does. And yes, I had a ring side seat to your 'prize fight'. I would have prevented the whole thing, but you're fast and it took me too long to catch up. Then you were kicking tail and I thought I'd let you finish up. The Bobbies got there right before I stepped in." Remembering the other question, "You may know my name from my dad. Ted Tonks."

Harry groaned loudly. "Arrrggg. If you had led with that…" Damn. He could have had a leisurely jog. She was the 'psychotic about her name' daughter of Ted and Andromeda Tonks.

Bill interrupted, "Come on inside, Harry. We need to talk."

Uncle Vernon was at work and Aunt Petunia was at a garden club meeting. It wasn't unusual for them to be out when Harry had his home schooling. They settled in at the kitchen table and Tonks was looking through his Ancient Runes study book. She was obviously impressed. She should be. Harry knew he could get an 'Outstanding' on his Ancient Runes NEWT tomorrow if he took it. Well, if he could power up the runes, that is. Soon.

Bill passed Harry yesterday's edition of the 'Daily Prophet'. With a groan, Harry looked at it. _'Boy-Who-Lived Attacked by Vicious Muggles!'_ Oh, no. No-no-no-no-no. Reading a bit further, the article detailed how _poor Harry Potter_ was outside trying to get in a bit of physical therapy, when three _vicious Muggles_ attacked and beat him. Apparently, he had been bedridden all summer and this was his first time out of the house.

Harry looked up, "What the hell? I was publicly seen in Diagon Alley weeks ago! Bill, you were with me… Who prints this garbage?"

"It gets worse, Harry. Apparently, they beat you to within an inch of your life and you barely survived. You're recovering with 'around the clock care' from healers."

Harry knew Hedwig would be back in a few hours with correspondence from Ginny and his friends. Great. Great. He would be inundated with mail. Crappy-ass 'pity mail'.

"Ok, so people think I'm battered and beaten, I've had worse." Seeing the grim expressions on everyone's faces, he added, "Really, who cares what people think? If they leave me alone, then I'm happy."

Bill caught Harry's eye and explained, "There are factions that are lobbying to take you into protected care. What with you being so damaged and all. Unable to defend yourself." Letting that sink in, he added, "The same factions are lobbying for the removal of laws designed to protect Muggles."

Harry had a bright idea, "Why not just go for a stroll down Diagon Alley? Let people see I'm whole and healthy? Every time I go there people stop and point."

Bill made a small noise, "That was one possible option we considered. But the Deatheaters will probably be expecting that. If they were to trick you into touching a portkey, or just attack at random… It's just not worth the risk."

"Well, when the hell is Sirius getting his trial? That will end this craziness."

Bill gently proceeded. "So, Sirius' trial was pushed back a third time. He is now scheduled to have his trial on October 31." Knowing what that date meant to Harry, Bill just waited. And waited….

Harry sat silently. This can't be happening. Not that day. Any day but that…

Tonks reached out and rested her hand on his arm to calm him. It didn't work.

Harry began looking at them both. "You're not telling me everything. What else?"

"Sirius is scheduled to have his trial presided over by Octavius Rowle. The man is not a Deatheater, but he is a sympathiser. Unfortunately, he was the judge that cleared most of the Deatheaters that used the 'Imperious Defence'. Now, we know the darker families have lost much of their fortunes thanks to Sirius' law suites. Hell, by most estimates, Lucius Malfoy has lost almost half his wealth. Most of his liquid funds are depleted and he's having to sell off his assets. Assets he desperately needs to rebuild his funds. No doubt You-Know-Who is burning through what's left. The Deatheaters can't bribe as many officials as in the past. They're all twisting."

"Shite! Bill, you, and I both know that 'Octavius' guys is crooked! He'll throw Sirius through the veil just for fun. Wait…" Harry remembered the first point. "Who wants to house me in protective custody? Not the Bones family, I hope."

Tonks softly said, "No, not the Bones family, although they offered. The primary candidate… would be the Malfoy's"

The room was silent as death. You could hear a pin drop.

Finally, with a look of horror, Harry asked, "What. The. Hell?" He wondered if this was a prank. It had to be a prank.

Bill bit his lip. "They need gold. We're guessing they want to access the Potter vaults. Compared to the Malfoy or Black Vaults, the Potter Vault was small, but Lucius is desperate. He probably really wants to ransom you back to Sirius as well. Likely, you would be returned in… rough shape."

Harry was shocked. My god, he hated the Malfoys. He wished he could just wipe them all out.

Like Lou always says, timing is critical, "When would they try to take me?"

Tonks assured him, "Well, you're under Ministry protection until the trial. As a trained auror and a cousin, I was able to get on your protection detail. Amelia and Dumbledore helped." Harry scoffed at the idea of those two helping, but Tonks chose to ignore it, "Then, once Sirius is found innocent, you should be placed in his care. And Harry, he _will_ be found innocent, no matter who is presiding over the trial. It really is an open and shut case."

Harry thought about her words. "So, why the fear? What's the problem?"

Bill answered quietly. "The concern is that a hostile judge presiding over the trial might prevent you from being put in Sirius' care. Sirius would have to pass a mental exam before he would be seen competent and the presiding judge would have final say." Bill was trying hard to present a calm and quiet facade. Otherwise, Harry might freak out.

Harry was amazed at how convoluted this all was. "So, Sirius would be… what?"

Bill calmly continued, "Sirius could be deemed unfit and you would be placed with another family. Unfortunately, it looks like the Malfoy's are in a good position to be that family. Ted is planning to step in and have Andromeda, Tonk's mother, claim guardianship. Albus has already agreed to the transferal, but it's all up to the presiding official. Apparently, much of the detail Ted found, regarding Dumbledore's failure as a Magical Guardian, was also found by the Malfoy attorneys. The Black attorneys are legendary, but it all comes down to the trial. And the presiding judge."

Harry knew he was in hot water, but what about Sirius? "Bill, if Sirius is found mentally unfit, what else could they do to him?"

"Theoretically, they could toss him into a state-run mental health facility. But the Black Lawyers would reign havoc down on Britain. Also, it would look horrible internationally. Realistically, they would block his ability to vote in the Wizengamot. His votes would be managed by an appointed third party related to him." After considering it moment, Bill decided to tell it all, "Likely the Malfoy family, due to Narcissa and Draco having blood ties to the Black family."

"Wait, Andromeda has just as close ties. And if she were my guardian, she would have the heir backing her…"

Bill smiled; Harry was catching on. "Right. Which is why the Malfoy's need a presiding judge who would rule in their favour. You bring a lot of votes plus the ability to ransom a fortune from the Black Vaults."

"What if I just move to Switzerland? Leave Great Britain for good. Hasta la Vista…"

Bill nodded a bit, "If you left now, Sirius could never come back as it would look like he was avoiding a trial. And you would always be a target. No matter where you were. At least in Great Britain, the Order can protect you. But in Switzerland? It'd be tough. And again, the Deatheater families are likely making plans for that to occur. Let's call that, the final option. And Harry, there's no way you will ever fall into Lucius Malfoy's hands. Dumbledore has already agreed to a massive offensive if that happened. We'd get you to Switzerland and hope for the best."

Tonks caught his eye, "So, for now, I'm your security detail. Trust me when I tell you, the alternative to me is far more restrictive. No more giving me the slip." Waiting for Harry to nod, she added, "Where you go, I go. For the next month, I'm like your shadow. And I plan to teach you a few extra skills to stay alive. Especially now that I know you can sense magic."

Tonks didn't see any point in sharing how close Dawlish came to being Harry's 'keeper'. That would have amount to little more than house arrest.

Harry quietly asked, "Maybe we can skip today's class."

"Sure, Harry. If you change your mind or want to talk, we'll still be here." Bill knew anything they covered today would be quickly forgotten.

Harry got up and went upstairs.

Tonks looked at Bill and said, "Well, that went better than expected. The warming charms helped. It must be near freezing in here now. And what's with the piney rose smell? Not a bad smell, but unexpected."

Bill considered her question as he had been wondering the same. "No idea. The piney smell's not new, but the Roses are. Little bit of Oakiness there, too."

"You don't seem surprised, Bill. He's supposed to be a squib now, how's he doing this? The temperature drop alone is amazing."

"I'm used to Harry doing wild stuff no one could predict. When I first met Harry, he had just turned 11 and had transformed his eyes to have night vision. According to the eye doctor, he had managed to partially transform his eyes to that of an owl. Probably around four or five years old."

"Bill, he wears glasses. Owls have excellent vision…" Now Tonks was smirking.

"Nope. Owls are far sighted. Extremely so. Harry had 'Owl Eyes' so long he soaked it up a bit. He needs glasses to read comfortably. Have you ever seen him play Quidditch? He finds the snitch first _every single time_. Ever notice how he moves his neck more than his eyes? He doesn't even know he's doing it. And that magic sensing? Brilliant. I had no idea it was still working."

"But, he's a squib, right?"

Bill raised his eyebrows and said, "I wouldn't count him out. Honestly, the accidental magic started up about a month ago and it tends to happen a lot. He's not even aware of it most of the time. His Aunt and Uncle say its better when he's had a good workout. Stress tends to bring it on. How many squibs can say that?"

Tonks considered what Bill told her. "Well, he needs to be prepared for what's coming. From what I saw yesterday and this morning in the gym, he can hold his own physically. Most wizards don't have a clue how to use their fists. We can also train him up on other useful skills. You know, how to tell if someone is lying. How to read a room, and how to use the magic sensing."

Bill thought about it, then winced. "Maybe we can cover a few extras. When Filius and I were training him to duel, part of it was sensing incoming attacks. We can pick that back up. But he has a pretty full schedule already."

Tonks laughed. She pointed to Harry's book on Ancient Runes. "Bill, this is the same book mum had when she was considering a mastery in Ancient Runes. One of the reasons she went the healer route was how brutally difficult this book was. That and she's a gifted healer. Still, this is way beyond NEWT level. How on earth did he learn to this point? Seriously, can you say you aren't struggling with this too?"

"I steer clear of the Nordic and Hittite stuff. He knows that better than me. I know enough of the Babylonian and Egyptian material to keep ahead of him. Barely. But yeah, we're really in the 'Mastery' department. Most of his writing is in Demotic and Acadian. And he likes to switch hands. Someone trained him to be ambidextrous. His writing script 'leans' toward whichever hand is writing, but the right hand is slightly better. He also favoured his right hand for attacks and his left hand for defence, but he can go either way. Both hands are decent at Rune carvings, but he could use a little work. He could pass the curse-breaker journeyman exam tomorrow if he had access to his magic. We still throw in a bit of curse breaking to keep things interesting for him."

Tonks looked shocked, "What about Arithmancy?"

Bill smiled, "Remus is loving the higher level Arithmancy, but he's collaborating with Professor Vector. Sinistra has been giving us guidance and training material. Remus thinks she's going to approach him about a mastery when he graduates. I think she'll offer it after the OWLs."

"How is he doing in his other studies?"

"Well, Harry doesn't know as much about Magical History and while his Astronomy is good enough to pass, he could use a bit of work to get an 'E' or an 'O'. He is surprisingly good at Herbology. I'd say he would have an easy 'E' there. No point wasting time in Muggle Studies. He lives it every day. Honestly, he could take his OWLs tomorrow and be fine.

"Bill, don't you think we should be training him to survive more than this… busy work? If he's already good for the OWLs, let's focus on the life and death stuff. The runes and Arithmancy might come in handy at this insane level, but Herbology? Astronomy? Circle up with Remus and adjust. I'll make myself available for Auror skills. Seriously Bill, if he's ready for his OWLs, why are you training him to ace his NEWTs?"

Bill thought about what she was saying. It made sense. He could shift over to more of the curse-breaker stuff and hope his magic came back enough to use it one day. Also, curse sensing and… something.

"Bill, I can provide an Auror handbook. Maybe that would help in his development. We'd have to make sure he doesn't get caught with it, but it's full of great information. I'd bet Harry doesn't know squat about the Knockturn Alley. Or any of the other shady spots in London. It's time he learns a bit more about the people he may be fighting."

"I'll talk to Remus." Thinking a moment, he rolled his eyes and laughed. He then added, "You know, Owls have great night vision, but their hearing is even better. Harry, come on down."

A few moments later, Harry sheepishly came down the stairs.

Tonk's immediately noted the teen had no poker face. "Eavesdropping, Harry?"

Harry just shrugged. Tonks immediately felt protective of the little rascal. He was a bit of a sneak, but a lousy liar.

Bill asked, "So Harry, what do we have to work with? Magically speaking."

Harry took a cleansing breath and listed his abilities. "I can still do the Owl thing with my eyes and speed up my perception and reactions. The perception changes kick in automatically. My hearing is also owl-like, sensitive, and directional. I can sense magic, but it's almost _too sensitive_ now. Hard to stare at a bright light, you know? So, I need to re-learn that. I think I'm still a Parselmouth. I haven't seen a Snake to test it yet. My magic is healing, but I'm about a year away from accessing it. Maybe 7-8 months, but that's optimistic." Harry paused a moment, then added, "And, I'd rather no one find out about that. Especially Dumbledore."

Tonks nodded, "Well, we can work with that. How do you feel about just skipping the busy work and training in survival?"

"I'd like that. But I still want to learn more about Ancient Runes and Curse-Breaking. And Arithmancy. Let's chuck the Herbology, Astronomy, History, and learn the gritty stuff. The Auror skills Tonks can teach. If possible, I'd love to review names and photos, so I know who I'm up against. Right now, I wouldn't know a Deatheater from a mailman if I met him in the street. Also, what they're good at. That kind of stuff."

Bill thought a moment, "I'll talk to Remus. But you may need a bit more History before you can pass that one."

"OK. By the way, I need a few favours. Can I get six copies of _'Beyond Duelling, How to Fight'_ from Flourish and Botts? Also, I need to go to Hogsmeade next Saturday. Bill, do you think Fleur can bring a French reporter? I'm tired of the Daily Prophet always getting the scoop on me and always getting it wrong. If Fudge is so concerned about 'International opinion', let's use that against the man."

Bill considered the idea. It made sense. "Where did this idea come from?"

Harry held up a letter from Luna and said, "The Quibbler wants an interview. Why not give it and include a few other publications."?

Tonks liked the idea. It would take some prep, but it could make a difference. Fudge is doing everything to kill the idea that Voldemort is back. A little international pressure could go a long way. Force an investigation. Maybe get Pettigrew back on the stand.

Bill looked at Harry and said, "I'll see what I can do."

— **Dance of Death—**

**Hogsmeade**

**The Three Broomsticks**

**October 7, 1995**

**Saturday Morning**

**8:45 AM**

Harry was sitting in a private room at the Three Broomsticks with Bill and Tonks. Currently, no one knew he was there. He Floo'd in from Mrs. Figg's house and used his invisibility cloak to get to the private room. He had practiced this interview and had dozens of bullet points on topics to address and topics to avoid. Materials had been collected by the various Order Members to support his stories and give credence to the fact that Voldemort was back. Apparently, the politically savvy members of the order had scripted most of what he could and couldn't say.

At first, Harry had refused to exclude anything, saying he planned to just tell the truth - consequences be damned. Remus and Bill made him listen to reason. He couldn't go directly after Fudge or there could be reprisals against Sirius. Goodbye trial and hello Malfoy's. He also had to be careful to prevent reprisals on Mr. Weasley. He would stick to the graveyard and his desire to be with his Godfather. He would also highlight the fact that he was the heir of two Houses and various 'self-interested' families were trying to gain access to his legacies – Both Potter and Black.

On the record, he would only give support for the Ministry and the challenges it had gone through. He would discuss how he was coping with his magical injuries and how the Daily Prophet had greatly exaggerated his recent encounter with muggles for the purpose of selling more papers. Harry also made a point to share that the Muggle authorities were quick to respond and were very professional. Overall, he would downplay the event to three angry kids that he had a minor scuffle with. Basically, the truth. Harry planned to make a joke over it by comparing the scene to the Dragon he outmanoeuvred and the Acromantula he fought in the tournament.

He also promised not to talk bad about Hogwarts. This was stressed. No going after students or faculty. Harry decided to focus on the strength of his relationship with Filius and Hagrid. He planned to also mention how much he missed his close friends and was looking forward to seeing them when he came back for his OWLs. Harry desperately wanted to oust Voldemort as Tom Riddle, but Dumbledore forbade it, saying whoever reported that would meet a horrific death. Harry decided he didn't want that on his conscience.

Off the record, he would share transcripts of the lawsuits Sirius had filed and let the journalists do their thing. The Malfoy family would have a hard time making a legitimate claim on him once it was clear they were no longer allied with the Black family and had to pay enormous restitutions for breaking magical contracts and alliances. In addition, he had copies of the transcripts from Peter Pettigrew's interrogation under Veritaserum. How that had been obtained, he had no idea. After reading it, he realised how relentlessly Amelia Bones had gone after Pettigrew. Maybe Madame Bones wasn't so bad after all. The Deatheater families were called out and the 'Imperious defence' was shot down. Harry would also mention that several Ministry employees had accumulated a great deal of wealth on a Ministry salary and suggest the journalists investigate it. Maybe something would come of it, maybe not.

The Quibbler was already prepared to go to press, a reporter from the New York Ghost and a French freelance reporter were due to arrive in a few minutes. Neither knew he would be here, so this would be a surprise. They were expecting a simple follow up from Fleur on the tri-wizard tournament. A fluff piece. Dumbledore had apparently called in a few favours to an ICW publication and a reporter was showing up from there as well. Also, without knowing who he was interviewing or what the topic really was. Apparently, when Albus Dumbledore talks, people listen.

The Quibbler would most likely print first, followed closely by other publications. Harry really wanted the Quibbler to get the scoop. This was primarily to annoy the Daily Prophet. Fleur's idea to bring a freelancer reporter was brilliant as she would sell the story to as many publications as she could. After today, everyone would know.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Hogsmeade**

**The Three Broomsticks**

**October 7, 1995**

**Saturday Morning**

**11:45 AM**

Harry wrapped up the interview, but it ran over. Overall, it had gone exceptionally well. Xenophilius Lovegood may be quirky, but he was very shrewd. The other journalists took notes furiously and asked all the right questions. Now it was time to sit back and wait to see the result. Bill and Tonk's were pleased with the interviews, noting that Harry hit most of the key points and only twice did Bill have to cut him off when he went toward a 'forbidden' topic.

Amelia Bones had assured Tonks that she would not be reassigned if Harry spoke publicly, but she made a point of not knowing any more about the interview than the bare minimum. Plausible deniability. Still, the transcripts that somehow found their way to Harry said a lot. Harry would send word that he would like to meet and formally accept the rapprochement from House Bones. She had tried to make things right.

The interview wrapped up and Harry was Apparated alongside Bill to a spot near the Hogs Head Inn. He had planned to meet Hermione there at eleven, but his interview ran long. She was forming a Defence study group and he said he would support her. Harry quietly walked in to see Hermione taking signatures on a piece of paper. No one noticed him at first, but that didn't last.

Luna looked back at him as waved. "Hello, Harry." Hopefully, she wouldn't mention the interview.

"Hi, Luna. Hermione. Hey, Ginny." He also gave a nod to Neville. Ginny came over and hugged him.

Hermione beamed, "Harry, thank you for coming. We were just talking about you and your fictitious injuries." Hermione was as direct as ever.

Katie looked back and said, "See, fit as a fiddle! I told you I saw him months ago and he looked fine."

Harry smiled a little. "Yeah. The Daily Prophet is not a reliable source."

The other students moved toward him and started asking questions. They were all the standard type of, how are you? Are you doing better? When will you be back? Etc. Harry answered most as vaguely as he could, but made it clear he would be back for a mid-year check in and for the end of year OWLs. He was fine, but his ability to use magic had still not healed. Yes, he got in a fist fight, but he won the fight and emerged without a scratch. Fortunately, his Black eye was fully healed up with a little help from Tonks and an 'Episkey'.

Then, Katie asked the big question, "So Harry, is it true? Is You-Know-Who back?"

"Yeah, he is. And the Prophet is doing everything they can to cover it up."

Some blonde Hufflepuff scoffed, "So you say. I want proof before I believe that."

Harry struggled to place the boy. Zack or Zachary something… "Well, how about this? I disappeared for an awfully long period of time. My magic was shredded in the ritual that brought him back. Peter Pettigrew was unconscious when I managed to escape and return. According to the Prophet, Pettigrew was the lone perpetrator. So how could he do all that, then fall over unconscious. Keep in mind, according to the Prophet, I'm bed ridden and near death. They don't have the best track record with reporting the truth. But whether you choose to believe me or not, you owe it to yourself to get _decent_ training in Defence. Hermione helped me prepare for the Tri-Wizard Tournament and she can help all of you pass your Defence OWLs."

Even the students that seemed to doubt his story agreed to that point. Ron, Fred, and George eagerly supported him. Why hadn't they support him last year? Yeah, he was still a little bitter. But, for Ginny and Bill's sake, but he hid it. Katie, Luna, and Neville were supporting him all the way. So was Colin, but that was to be expected. Angelina and Alicia gave their support. But in their case, it was probably just guilt. Susan and Hannah did too, but not Ernie. He was surprised Susan looked so supportive. He had sent her last letter back to her after using it to line Hedwig's cage for a week. Forget Hannah, he still remembered her smirking at him in the courtyard.

"Hermione, I picked out this book." He held up a copy of 'Beyond Duelling, How to Fight'. "I think it's the best out there for learning and using… standard defensive spells." Bill walked over and placed the other five copies on the table.

Cedric came over and looked at it. "Thanks, Harry. This'll help." Cedric had plenty of confidence. He kept making eye contact. He seemed to be trying to… be nice? Who knows? Harry made a point not to look at Cho.

Being around so many people… So many of which had turned on him, made Harry realise how much he wanted to leave. Horcrux or not, they made him nervous. With the adrenaline spike came shaky hands. His body was reacting the way it did before an attack. He didn't feel safe. Time to leave.

Harry managed a simple excuse for leaving, "I hate to go, but I'm already late. It was… good seeing you all." He gave Ginny a brief hug. "I have to run. We'll get together soon."

Ginny could tell the attention was freaking him out a little. She knew the signs. His hands had begun to tremble. Cedric and Katie had seen it too, she knew Harry would be embarrassed if anyone said anything.

Ginny smiled, saying, "It was great seeing you, Harry." With a small kiss, she walked him out and said goodbye.

Harry quickly exited the building where Bill and Tonks Apparated him away.

— **Dance of Death—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**October 21, 1995**

**Saturday Morning**

The last two weeks had been tumultuous. The Quibbler printed the interview first and got everyone's attention. In response, the Ministry threatened to ban the sale of the Quibbler, but that only served to greatly increase its circulation. Within three days, numerous foreign newspapers were running the story. Fudge was forced to recognise that the Daily Prophet had made 'mistakes in Harry Potter's condition'. Because Harry never spoke out against him or the Ministry, Fudge was able to say he was 'on Harry's side'. However, he still claimed 'You-Know-Who' hadn't returned and there was no need to panic.

Public sentiment now believed either Voldemort had returned or there was a new Dark Lord. Peter Pettigrew's transcript was what really pushed it over the top. Amelia Bones claimed to have no idea how foreign publications got the transcripts, but she noted that they were intended to be public record. The Malfoy's and the other dark families were under international scrutiny now. Many of their business partners were hesitant to do business with them. Sirius had dropped his legal action against Fudge, but made it clear that if his trial was pushed back one more time… He'd turn loose the dogs.

Amelia Bones met with Harry and had tea. It was very cordial, and she seemed greatly relieved when Harry formally accepted her rapprochement. Harry said he would consider an alliance once he was of age and looked forward to better relations. He didn't bother bringing up the past. He may never forgive Hannah, but Susan wasn't any worse than the rest of the school. And Amelia was giving him a great deal of support now. Harry did make it clear that he wasn't giving up his magic and any future alliance would not be a tier one. Amelia accepted this and vowed to continue supporting him. Harry knew she really had no choice given the termination clauses in the ancient alliance, but he accepted her at her word. At least she wasn't trying to get out of it.

Harry met the Tonks' family and immediately liked Ted. With news of the Malfoy family petitioning for guardianship, Albus had been the one to ask Ted to counter petition. Now that everything was out in the open, Harry was finally able to meet the family that he was hopefully going to join. Ted was cool, but Andromeda came across less cool and colder. Not a mean person, just _extremely_ conservative. She insisted on meeting regularly and starting on the training she felt Harry was sorely lacking. Estate management, etiquette, social behaviour and negotiation skills. Tonks tried to bail him out, saying Harry was getting more important training. That got an icy response from Andromeda who proclaimed, "Hadrian is the heir of two houses, _this_ is more important." Harry didn't even know his first name was Hadrian.

In the end, Harry agreed to three hours of training and two formal dinners each week. Pipsey and Dobby purchased clothes to fit him and the dinners mostly consisted of Andromeda telling Harry he was using the wrong fork and such. Tonks seemed to love watching the spectacle. After Dinner, Ted would walk Harry through a bit of law and estate management. He also told Harry a bit about what he knew of the Potter Family.

When not at the Tonks', Harry's training shifted to survival tactics. His Boxing training had taken a darker turn and it felt more like street fighting. He threw himself into it completely. He didn't bother with Golf anymore, and his Tennis was more focused on volleying. This was in anticipation of his magic returning. His home study still included Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, but he didn't bother with the other topics. Instead, he was learning fewer noble skills and strategies. How to break into or out of a house. How to evaluate a dangerous setting. How to sense magic being cast at you. How to be ignored by various wards, Etc. In some ways, it was like last year, but not as much self-study. Tonks was training him on Auror tactics and what goes on in Knockturn Alley. Bill was training him to recognise curses and wards – same as before, but more focused on modern designs. Remus was adding in information of werewolves, Dementors, Acromantula, and other potential followers of Voldemort. And how to fight them.

Harry and Tonks had just gotten back from the gym and Bill met them. He looked concerned. After quickly ushering them in, he led them into the main sitting room. Uncle Vernon and Petunia were looking tense. Something was up.

Remus was standing in the room as well. "Harry, there's been a development."

"Octavius Rowle was found dead."

— **Dance of Death—**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> —Dance of Death—
> 
> Next Chapter will run to the trial of Sirius Black and beyond. Also, what happened to Octavius Rowle and how will the darker families react? How is Lucius holding up with the drain on his assets?
> 
> Harry is now learning skills that will help him stay alive. It just seemed silly to keep training him for OWLs when he had most of his mother's knowledge, and she was a brilliant witch. The Ancient Runes and Arithmancy are a passion of his and he doesn't plan to give it up. He still loves curse-breaking and ward setting. Tonks was trained by Mad-Eye Moody himself, now she is passing on that knowledge to Harry.
> 
> Harry will go back to Hogwarts for a mid-term evaluation and his OWLs. I see home schooling in the magical world as likely common. Many pureblood kids and their families likely take that option. Maybe they don't want their kids to be exposed to the whole Slytherin/Gryffindor feud. Perhaps their kids have special needs of some sort. physical handicaps, learning impairments, squibs, social anxiety, whatever. Hogwarts does not seem to be well equipped for that.
> 
> I have home schooled children required to take a midterm review and a final exam each year with OWLs and NEWTs mandatory at the end of years 5 and 7. This is to ensure they are progressing in their education at an acceptable speed. This is like a lot of on-line schools in this regard. Harry will also get to meet a few home-schooled kids. While there are likely a few test sites, the ICW determines where OWLs and NEWTs are taken. This is to prevent dishonesty on an internationally recognized test. So, the designated test sites for OWLs and NEWTs for the UK is Hogwarts. As this is Harry's 5th year, he needs to be reviewed and tested at Hogwarts. Technically, he could go to Beauxbatons or Ilvermorny, but that would ruin the story...
> 
> Andromeda Tonks is introduced, and this relationship will grow over time. In the beginning, Harry is a bit put out with her adherence to pureblood customs, but he understands the need if he is to one day lead two houses. I decided not to write all the dinners and interactions, but let's just say she recognises that he has had no real training. There, we just saved about ten thousand words.
> 
> Yes, the DA formed without Harry, but Hermione was the main driver in canon as well. Now she will lean on Cedric the same way she leaned on Harry to demonstrate and train in the Order of the Phoenix. Per canon, he would be a seventh year. Eventually, Ron and Neville will step up.
> 
> The interview happened just as it did in canon, but being outside of Hogwarts, I had Harry pull in a few extra newspapers. With help from the order, he had plenty of material to work with. Having Bill act as his advocate in Order meetings is a huge boost.


	24. Chapter 24

**JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, the star of the show. She is the creator of the world I write in.**

**FASA owns Earthdawn, who I borrow many ideas from.**

**Sirius Black was awaiting a trial in Britain, but he had been cleared by an ICW hearing and now Britain was taking heat internationally for their treatment of him. Sirius Black had activated magical clauses in several contracts which Arcturus had created to impact the funds of the Deatheater families, impacting their ability to support Voldemort. Wars weren't cheap, and now there's a lot less money.**

**Fudge was trying to weasel out of any personal lawsuits and was using the trial as a leverage point while also publicly siding with Sirius on his mistreatment. Amelia Bones had made public her interrogation of Peter Pettigrew and it was now clear that all Marked Deatheaters willingly took the Mark and were guilty as sin. Sadly, they cannot be re-tried in court, but they had been found guilty in public opinion. Fortunately for Fudge, it was the previous administration that had cleared them. Fudge had been shrewd enough to distance himself from the families he used to consort with.**

**Harry finally recovered the 'Horcrux object' containing his father's incarnation and was able to absorb James' incarnation into himself. In the process, he recovered and bonded with the Everliving Flower that was somehow connected to Oakheart. These key points allowed his magic to slowly re-integrate itself.**

**Harry started therapy and was beginning to realise that it was not so bad. The Dursleys were also getting a bit of therapy as well. Harry was able to meet with both Ginny and Hermione before they caught the Hogwarts Express and he lent Ginny his Firebolt. Harry had managed to reach his Dreamscape again, but his parent's incarnations told him that he couldn't visit too often as his core was under 'repair'. In six to eight months, he should be healed enough to use magic, but full healing would take longer. Monthly visits would work, but more frequent visits would slow his healing. Home schooling had begun, and Harry had no concerns about getting his OWLs. He had switched his focus to learning skills that would keep him alive as he felt confident, he could ace his OWLs with ease.**

**Last Chapter Recap:**

**Sirius' trial had been pushed back three times and was now set for October 31st. The presiding judge was a Deatheater sympathiser and there was concern that he would find Sirius mentally unfit to be Harry's guardian and place Harry with the Malfoy family, where he would be ransomed and tortured. The Deatheater families were desperate for funds as preparing for a war was expensive and Sirius had impacted on their finances tremendously.**

**Harry made a trip to Hogsmeade where he gave an interview with three news publications and a freelance reporter. He used the interview to give his story of the graveyard and Voldemort's return. He also discussed the upcoming trial. He flat out accused Fudge of being a fool and a weakling. He pointed out the many marked Deatheaters Fudge associated with and raised questions about corruption within the ministry. He lent support to Hermione as she began a Defence Association study group.**

**One week from Sirius' trial, the presiding judge was found dead.**

**Special thanks to this story's Beta reader, 'Just William' for your help and excellent feedback.**

**This is where we pick up.**

**Chapter 24: Bad Rubbish**

— **Dance of Death—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**October 21, 1995**

**Saturday Mid-Morning**

Harry, Tonks, Bill, and Remus were in the main sitting room at The Dursley home. Vernon and Petunia Dursley were looking concerned as Remus told Harry that Judge Octavius Rowle had been found dead. Harry considered that Octavius Rowle was a Deatheater sympathiser and there had been concerns in the order that he would place Harry with the Malfoy family after the trial while Sirius was undergoing mental evaluation for parental competency. The whole order knew that would be disastrous if it came to pass.

Bill hesitantly said, "So, this brings us to another problem..."

Harry immediately jumped in with, "Well, obviously we have a problem! Uncle Vernon, I think we're out of champagne."

Vernon suddenly guffawed and said, "Damn right, Harry! Good riddance I say! I'm glad I'm not the only one to see the upside to this!"

Harry laughed and immediately high-fived his uncle. No one else reacted. For so many years he had despised his loud and somewhat belligerent uncle. Amazing how different he felt now. Uncle Vernon was no longer his obnoxious, loud, and belligerent uncle. Now he was his _favourite_ obnoxious, loud, and belligerent uncle! Petunia excused herself and went upstairs, while Uncle Vernon ventured into the kitchen.

Tonks quietly added, "Harry, Octavius Rowle was a prominent member of our society. His death may attract undue attention if it is ruled a murder. It could affect Sirius."

At Sirius' name, Harry lost his glee. "Shite. Well, no way was Sirius involved. He was planning to bring me to Switzerland if the trial went poorly. He had a whole backup plan designed. Never was the death of the Deatheater sympathiser considered."

Bill gave a short nod, "So, assuming his death is ruled as 'natural causes', the trial will be overseen by Juliette Prewitt. Not only would she be fair but given that she was a Gryffindor Seeker in the 70's and a cousin to Fabian and Gideon, she really was the best possible person to be presiding over Sirius' trial. And don't worry about the Malfoy family claiming you, she was _very_ outspoken in her displeasure regarding the use of the 'Imperious defence' after the last war."

Tonks thought for a moment, "Wait, what happened to Johnathon Selwyn? Wasn't he next in line to preside over the October trials and hearings?"

Bill raised his eyebrows, "Yes, but he had a broom accident a few weeks ago. If the order had been reversed, it would seem… suspicious." Harry knew Bill well enough to tell two things. First, Bill was suspicious of the circumstances. It did seem like an odd set of coincidences. Secondly, Bill wasn't the least bit upset that both men were dead. He just wanted to make sure the fallout was contained. Tonks was a lot harder to read, but she didn't seem all that broken up.

Remus, on the other hand, seemed to be filled with doom and gloom. That was his normal outlook, but bad news of any sort always pushed him towards a depressed state. Like the whole world was falling apart. He also seemed saddened that Harry was so cheerful about the death of another.

Harry decided to nip that in the bud. "So, one Deatheater sympathiser and one potential sympathiser are dead and unable to take away my freedom." Harry paused for the dramatic effect and briefly looked at the ceiling, "Nope. Not feeling any pain or sadness here. You ask me, the world is a better place for it."

At that, there was a loud pop, followed by three wands quickly being drawn. Then Uncle Vernon re-entered the room with five champagne glasses. He was grinning from ear to ear. The wands were hastily sheathed.

Bill shrugged and took a glass. Remus waved it off, resulting in Vernon pouring his glass of champagne into Vernon's own glass. Tonks hesitated, then took the glass saying, "Well, technically I'm not on duty. It **_is_** Saturday…"

Harry took a glass enthusiastically.

Uncle Vernon held up his glass and said, "Good riddance to Bad Rubbish!"

— **Dance of Death—**

**Malfoy Manor**

**October 22, 1995**

**Sunday Evening**

Lucius sat in his library, sipping fire whiskey. His hand was shaking so bad that he spilt about a third of the liquid. How long had he been held under the Cruciatus curse? Fifteen seconds? Thirty? It might as well have been an hour. He had forgotten how much it hurt. And all the other Deatheaters just stood there watching. Lucius couldn't help but feel betrayed by their unwillingness to speak on his behalf. He had personally funded the defence funds for most of the Bastards in the last war when the Dark Lord fell. How do they thank him? Silence. They were all too scared to say anything. They all knew they could be next.

How on earth could the Dark Lord punish him for another man's death? Octavius Rowle had apparently had a simple heart attack in his sleep. And Selwyn's death had been a fluke some weeks ago. Why had he tried to perform a full speed Wronski Feint at his age… what was he thinking? Now the trial would be presided over by a Prewett! And not just any Prewett, but Juliette Elisabeth Prewett… the same woman had openly called all the marked Deatheaters guilty despite the Imperious defence. _That_ woman had an axe to grind.

He had one week to remove the woman from the board. But how to do that without it looking suspicious? That would likely not be possible. And if – no, _when_ he succeeded, the trial would be pushed back a month and neither November nor December were months with sympathetic judges on rotation. Well, that was Parkinson's job to figure out, Lucius had only been tasked to remove the Prewett witch from the trial. She didn't have children or a spouse he could use against her. She certainly didn't seem like the type to frighten easily. He'd have to do this the old-fashioned way. Three assassins hired through an intermediary. Hopefully, someone competent could be found at short notice.

Switching thoughts, Lucius considered his finances. Reparations paid to the Black family had taken most of his liquid assets and the Dark Lord wasn't letting him rebuild his galleons in a steady manner. Lucius was having to sell important assets just to have the galleons to fund the future war effort. The assets he was selling were needed to ensure generational wealth… The other traditionalist families were in the same boat as well. Most of the assets were being purchased by holding companies that were likely owned by the Black Family. And at a steep discount due to the immediate needs of the Dark Lord. There simply wasn't time to negotiate and the Dark Lord would punish them all severely if he learned they had passed on a sale.

Lucius couldn't help but admire the brilliance of the plan. First, Sirius demands magical reparations that resulted in the traditionalist families losing their liquidity. Then, those same funds were being used to purchase assets the traditionalist families were having to sell to fund the coming war. Assets purchased at a considerable discount. Still looming were the non-magically binding lawsuits… but those could be put off. If the looming lawsuits ruled against the traditionalist families, it meant Sirius would take back the funds he had used to buy up the assets.

Sirius wasn't this smart. He certainly wasn't patient or strategic in financial matters. It had to be the Black Family lawyers directing and advising him. Everyone knew how ruthless they were. How dangerous and cunning they could be. Abraxas Malfoy had always said, be careful in dealing with the Black Family. They had legendary lawyers. Something about an Ancient Creature who had an interest or alliance with the Black family. A Vampire maybe? What was its name? Denarian? No… Dannanite… Denairastas… something**. Well, Lucius knew his own lawyers were some of the best in the business. The non-magical lawsuits were potentially avoidable, even if they were all guilty. But it was a distraction. This was all so much easier when Dumbledore was trying to fight the war the old way.

It all came down to funds. In the last war, the traditionalists had the funds. Now, the Black family appeared to be holding a lot of the cards. Too many. Harry Potter was the short-term fix. Sirius would give away all his wealth to save the boy. And if they couldn't get Potter, it would all fall back on ensuring Draco inherited the Black family wealth. Either way, the Black family had the funds and the traditionalist families need to get their funds back before they were all bankrupt.

— **Dance of Death—**

Narcissa Malfoy set out for the library with a recently brewed potion trifecta. When the Dark Lord took over their manor, she began brewing the usual potions. Calming draught, healing draught, and a pain reducing potion especially formulated to heal damage to the nervous system. Lucius had needed it frequently in the last war, and she knew he would need it now. Severus had provided the best recipes, and now she was doing her part. Still, why did the Dark Lord have to take up residence in _their_ manor?

She hated seeing her once proud husband in this state. Everyone knew the Dark Lord held his victim under the Cruciatus until they 'embarrassed' themselves. The human body could only take so much pain before it lost control. Vomiting and… worse. The Dark Lord seemed to take pride in robbing purebloods of their dignity. It was like he was getting even for some past wrongs done to him*. How she had hated watching her once proud sister degrade to the broken figure she was now.

Walking quietly through her home, Narcissa recalled her last visitation of Bella in Azkaban. It had been awful. Bella just kept pointing at her Dark Mark saying, _"He's back! He's back!"_ All the while, drooling and twitching about under her mop of lice infested hair. The once proud and beautiful woman Narcissa had grown up with was long gone. She had been replaced by a haggard sycophantic lunatic whose only desire was to please another. Damn you, Lestrange! You're the one who dragged her into your politics. Thankfully, Lucius had protected her. Hopefully, he could protect Draco as well.

She had told Lucius in no uncertain terms that Draco was not to be marked before he graduated and was of age to decide on his own. She had seen the brief flash of fear in her poor husband's eye, but he had emphatically agreed. She knew how he despised his own father for offering him up. Abraxas was an uncaring, opportunistic Bastard and Lucius suffered for it. The pain it had caused drove a wedge between father and son that lasted until Abraxas' death. But would Lucius even be given a chance? Would he be able to protect Draco?

And what if he couldn't? The Dark Lord had never been overly 'stable', but now he seemed even worse. His time among the un-living had not helped his sanity. Lucius had tried and failed to reason with their guest numerous times. The damages to their manor was testament to those 'discussions'. She had to keep Draco away for the Holidays, but how? And what to do about the summer? If Sirius did manage to return, could she seek him out for asylum? And if so, could she abandon Lucius to protect Draco? She had no doubts about what the Dark Lord would do to Lucius if she left. It wouldn't be pretty.

What would become of the Potter boy? If Lucius managed to get custody, his fate would be horrible. He would be tortured, his family holdings would be liquidated, he would be ransomed back to his godfather, and then likely murdered in the exchange. She couldn't help but feel pity for the boy. Orphaned at a young age, taken in by the blood traitorous Weasley family. Forced to consort with Mudbloods. Never taught his place in the world… Even as a half blood, he had a place. And he was now the Heir of Black. The future head of her _true_ family. Could she turn away and leave Harry Potter to his fate? Yes, yes, she could. For Draco, she could do anything. Yes, she would feel pity, but she would turn away. As Narcissa neared the library, she straightened her back and her resolve. Head held high with an aristocratic bearing, she proceeded down the hall. Unfortunately, with her head held high, she wasn't looking at the floor and she stepped in a foul spot on the carpet. With a look of revulsion, she realized it was from the Snake.

Narcissa subtly looked about in fear to make sure the monster Snake wasn't near. All the Peacocks and Hounds on the estate had been feasted on by Nagini. Even Draco's beloved pet had not been spared. Her son had raised Roxy from puppy to mature bitch. He would be crushed when he learned of her fate. But it wasn't just the pets the Snake fed upon. A few prisoners and even a few of the elves had become a meal for Nagini. To make matters worse, the creature relieved itself wherever it pleased. Frequently, as she had just learned, in the middle of a room or hallway. The smell was horrific, and the entire manor now reeked.

Entering the library, she saw her husband slouched in a chair. His hands were shaking, and he was quivering as he drank a glass of Ogden's finest. His trousers had been changed, as had his shirt. She wondered for the thousandth time why the Dark Lord had elected to stay at their Manor. Why he took so much delight in abusing her husband. His only real failing was in the loss of some silly diary.

"Lucius, I brought you the usual potions." She watched as her beloved husband reached out with shaky hands and took each vial. One after another in the prescribed order to maximise the effectiveness. When he was finished, he gave her a sad smile.

"Thank you, my dear." After a moment, the potions began to take effect. "Octavius managed to pass in his sleep. Now the chances of getting the Potter boy are slim."

Narcissa considered his words. There had to be more. "What are the contingency plans, beloved?"

Lucius then surprised her by knocking the empty vials across the room. For a moment, she thought he would strike her… but he regained control. That damn mark… It continually affected him.

"The contingency plan died on a broom trying to perform a Wronski Feint at fifty-seven years of age." He then scoffed and shook his head. "Now the trial will be officiated by a Prewett. No, not just a Prewett, Juliette Prewett!" Lucius put his head in his left hand, rubbing his temple.

Narcissa considered saying nothing, but she couldn't just abandon him to his despair. "Perhaps… she can be reasoned with. Or… dealt with in… some other fashion…" She really didn't want to say it out loud. It was beneath her.

Lucius chuckled. "Yes. She will be _dealt_ with. I have one week to do so. And if I fail, our son will be marked. After he is forced to 'chastise' me."

Narcissa recoiled in horror. Draco would be forced to take the mark. He would be forced to use the Cruciatus on his own father. How had they ever fallen into that mad man's service? This… can't be. She'd kill the Prewett woman herself…

Seeing his wife recoil, Lucius put a calming hand on her shoulder. The shaking was still there, but the potions had helped.

With a soothing voice, Lucius calmed his wife. "Shhhhhhh. No, my dearest. Draco will be protected. I know just who to contact. Even should the unthinkable occur, he would have to be unmarked to claim the Black Lordship. So, we are safe. For now. Shhhhhhh." He pulled his beautiful wife into his arms. How he wished for simpler times. When he had control. When he had power and prestige.

Narcissa considered her husband's words and knew what they really meant. First, Draco would rise to Lordship of the House of Black, then he would get marked. Lucius was fooling himself if he thought otherwise. The Black Family magic would reject anyone in the service of another, but once he had risen, he would be forced to take the mark. Arcturus had declined the Mark and enraged the Dark Lord. Knowing how petty the Dark Lord was, he would destroy the House of Black to get even. How did Lucius not see this?

What on earth could she do?

— **Dance of Death—**

**Ministry of Magic**

**October 23, 1995**

**Monday Morning**

Amelia Bones settled back and sipped her black coffee while her esteemed guest was examining the remains of a Nimbus 2001. She once more considered Albus Dumbledore's interest in a simple broom accident. Johnathon Selwyn had been an affable sort of fellow. Yes, he was a traditionalist, but he never showed any outright hostility to the 'progressive' families. He pretty much kept to himself and followed the letter of the law when he presided over a case. His family may have been filled with Deatheaters, but he certainly wasn't one. Of course, he never really denounced them either.

Two weeks ago, Johnathon foolishly overestimated his skill and had fatally mistimed a full speed Wronski Feint. The man had reputedly been an amazing seeker in his youth. He had taken the Ravenclaw House to a Quidditch cup victory four times in his Hogwarts days. Unfortunately, Selwyn was no longer a young man and he now spent more time _talking_ about brooms than _riding_ them.

For the 'umpteenth' time, Amelia had to wonder what he had been thinking. She knew he had recently purchased a Nimbus 2001 and had bragged to his peers about how eager he was to put it through its paces. But a Wronski Feint? No matter how good Johnathon may have once been, the Wronski Feint was one of the most difficult manoeuvres to execute and was quite dangerous. Many professional seekers don't even attempt it.

Albus was insistent on examining the broom that Johnathon Selwyn had been on when he had his fatal accident. It was broken in three places and without the straw patch at the end, you'd never know it had once been a broom. Letting him examine the broom was against policy, but she owed him for the whole Harry Potter mess last year. She couldn't even blame Albus really, he had strongly suggested just talking to the boy. Well, at least the Potter heir was no longer angry. No longer as angry. He seemed to be adjusting quite well to his… situation.

Bringing her attention back to the scene in front of her, she looked on with amazement. Amelia always loved watching proficient Wizards and Witches as they performed their art. And few were even remotely as proficient as Albus Dumbledore. The man was methodically taking apart the enchantments on the broom. Methodically peeling back one layer after another. Over and over he peeled back the enchantments. He scrutinised each of the mystic equations line by line. At a few points, he seemed to take a bit more interest in the enchantments, carefully reading the runic codes he had displayed. Occasionally, he went back and reviewed layers he had already reviewed. The man was brilliant. A true magical prodigy if ever there was one.

All in all, he had been working tirelessly for perhaps two hours. She stayed the entire time. Just to make sure he didn't try anything funny. How a man over a hundred years old had so much energy, she would never know. Finally, he stepped away and settled the broom back into the case it had been stored in. He carefully levitated it back into the evidence locker and approached Amelia.

His eyes seemed focused, but not on her. "Well, that was… enlightening. May we adjourn to your office, Madame Bones?"

Amelia resisted the urge to ask what he had discovered. She simply nodded and led him back to her office where they settled in for a discussion. Albus waved his wand and verified they had complete privacy. He even froze two of the paintings to ensure it was just the two of them. Amelia was slightly nervous now, what was he up to? Albus clearly wanted to share, but did he want more than a sharing of information?

"Alright, Albus. What did you learn?"

Albus smiled at the woman. Straight and to the point. She was a Bones through and through. "That was no accident. Deeply embedded in the enchantments of the broom were two very mild enchantments. Both of which have since dissipated, but I knew what to look for. You see, Amelia, this was an old trick." He sat smiling at her.

"Albus, please, just get to the point." Amelia always got annoyed when he played 'Professor', like he was waiting for her to start guessing and forming a hypothesis on her own.

Looking somewhat disappointed, "The enchantments were triggered by speed and altitude. Once a sufficiently high altitude was achieved, a mild Confidence charm was triggered. Like a cheering charm, but far more subtle. Then, once the speed exceeded a certain level, likely quite high, a mild vision enchantment was queued up, affecting depth perception. Once queued up, it was triggered when the altitude was less than, perhaps, fifty feet. Take or give a few yards." He then waited again, eyes twinkling away.

Amelia considered the Wronski Feint. You fly remarkably high, then drop into a full speed dive. At the last moment, you pull up. A confidence charm would lead him to think he had the skill to pull it off, then the depth perception would impair his ability to time the manoeuvre. They had checked for all manner of curses on the body, but not a Cheering charm or a Depth perception charm. And if they were mild enough, even finding those would be hard given the condition of the body.

Amelia softly said, "He was murdered." Albus had impressed the hell out of her. He really was a genius.

Albus quietly said, "Yes, Amelia. He was murdered." With a look of genuine sadness, the eye twinkling stopped.

"I'll get a team on it immediately. This changes everything…" Suddenly, she knew what it changed. Harry's trial would be delayed. She had been beside herself when she learned Sirius had been scheduled for a trial with Octavius Rowle. She had vowed to prevent Harry Potter from being placed with the Malfoys by any means necessary and with Octavius' death… Well, his death had been a relief. She hadn't even considered Johnathon Selwyn. But he would have been the next in line.

She realised she couldn't say anything. Her magic wouldn't let her take any action to endanger Harry Potter. The penalties in the alliance were in full force for her and her family for the same amount of time as the alliance had originally been in effect. Still, Johnathon Selwyn had been murdered.

"Albus, you don't think Sirius…"

Albus shook his head, "No, Amelia. He lacks the skill, the subtlety, and quite frankly the talent to pull off anything even remotely this complex. The broom was a special order, and someone had sabotaged the broom while it was being built. I have already checked, and the lead enchanter on this order suffered a most unfortunate accident. She is recovering nicely, but her memory of recent months has been quite impaired."

"Albus, why would anyone go after Johnathon Selwyn? He may have been a traditionalist, but he was no Deatheater." Amelia was trying to get her mind wrapped around these recent revelations. Albus had apparently been running his own investigation without DMLE consent or oversight. Clearly illegal.

Albus took a deep breath and shared his perspective, "My informants have been monitoring communications between certain families and both Octavius Rowle and Johnathon Selwyn. Octavius was an unmarked Deatheater and was eager to deliver young Mr. Potter to the Voldemort. Sirius' financial attacks have enraged many of the traditionalist families. Octavius included."

Amelia nodded; she knew to just listen to Albus as he wound through his tale.

"Johnathon Selwyn was also angered by Sirius' actions, but he saw it as an attack on pureblood traditions. His goal was to deliver Harry to a family that would educate him to be a traditionalist. Johnathon Selwyn was trying to help the future head of the Potter and Black families. His goals were not nefarious, but it would have ended catastrophically." At that, Albus shook his head in a scholarly manner.

Amelia felt the urge to slap the pompous scholar. He was so wrapped up in his own paradigm, he just couldn't stop being a Professor. Couldn't stop with the social theory. But at least he told his story. At least he was doing something. Taking action.

"So, who do you suspect?"

At that, Albus looked concerned. "Someone who wishes to protect Harry. And possibly the Black family. It was all so… subtle. I'd be surprised if Octavius Rowle hadn't been given Muggle medication that brought on his heart failure. Whoever did this was a master assassin with a long game in mind. It reminds me of how the Grindelwald war was fought. Alas, all those players are no longer with us. Still…" Albus recalled inconsistencies in the capture of key Acolytes. Gellert's brief escape in 1959…

Amelia waited a moment, then angrily proclaimed, " _Albus!_ I need you to depart memory lane and give me something I can work with." Amelia wondered if Albus was doing this just to irritate her. Was he starting to lose his marbles?

Albus briefly looked less 'mild' and more… dangerous.

"Very well, Amelia. Many have used variants of this manner of assassination, but few have done it so well. This was the work of not only a master assassin, but a true artist of their craft. Laying down the foundations of a murder months or even years before the actual murder took place. So subtle and brilliant, with no loose strings to deal with. Lycoris Black perfected this type of assassination." Albus enjoyed seeing Amelia pale at the mention of that woman's name. Serves her right for rushing him. "Vivian Rosier could have pulled it off as well, but she would have had to use the Imperious curse on the enchanter, rather than impersonation. Fortunately, Lycoris is dead and Vivian hasn't been seen in decades. Augustus Rookwood could have done it, but he's safely inside Azkaban. And quite frankly, he lacked the patience. There have been others who likely pulled off similar assassinations in the past but were never caught. Had it not been for the Grindelwald war, I wouldn't have known what to look for. But let's focus on the present. The only other potential party would be the Black Family lawyers. They are not a group that should be crossed… still. Something is off. Whoever did this had to have gotten close to Johnathon. Close enough to know he was considering the purchase of a Nimbus 2001. Or perhaps, close enough to _influence_ him to make the purchase..." Albus wondered if that group of Lawyers could pull something like this off. Did they have a Metamorphmagus in their retinue?

"Albus, I hesitate to even ask, how do you propose we proceed?" Amelia wanted to know. She wasn't committing to follow his direction, but he had given this far more consideration than she had.

"Do nothing." He waited for that to sink in. "I learned long ago, this enemy will use your own morals and compassion against you. Why put Harry in danger? We both know what would happen if there was any hint that this may not have been an accident."

Amelia knew what would happen. The trial would be delayed, pending an investigation. The traditionalists would push to have it shifted out to January or February when the judge rotation would favour them. They would also petition for guardianship of Harry. The investigation would drag on and almost certainly come up empty, because in the end, there were no suspects. One Deatheater was dead and one innocent but compromised traditionalist had died as well. She even felt her own magic directing her. Considering the options, she knew she had no real choice.

There really was only one answer. Albus Dumbledore was waiting for her to say it out loud. She wanted to choke the arrogant man with his own ridiculous beard, but they were apparently aligned. Very well, if he needed her to say it before he would leave, she'd say it.

"We do… nothing."

— **Dance of Death—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**October 31, 1995**

The last week had been rough. At Harry's insistence, Vernon inquired about a potential overseas assignment to start in a year. Harry wanted to make sure they were in a safe place well before he turned 17 and the blood wards fell. Harry had pushed quite hard for this and Bill had even advised them that it would be far safer overseas. Apparently, this dovetailed with a proposal Grunning's had. Considering Uncle Vernon's willingness to relocate, he was offered a huge promotion. It required him to work for three years in the United States, based out of the Boston office. After which, he would become the Global VP of Sales.

Sirius had offered to purchase their new home in Boston through intermediaries and have it heavily warded well before they moved in. Technically, it would be a 'Black' property, but they were free to use it as they saw fit. This was to ensure it was safe and their names were not on the ward records at MACUSA. Neither of the Dursleys liked the idea of leaving England, but they reluctantly admitted that it was the smartest move.

The one area that was unsettled was where Harry would go. Harry planned to stay and fight while everyone around him thought he should move out. Harry knew if he left, Voldemort would eventually find him and his family. He wasn't willing to let that happen. In the end, Harry reminded them that they had a year before any decisions needed to be made and he promised to consider moving. But he just said that to get them off his back.

Harry was banned from the trial for his own safety. He hated that, but everyone seemed to agree it was for the best. Even Bill had admitted to agreeing. Harry's presence would accomplish nothing and would split the efforts of protection between Sirius and himself. Potentially preventing the Order from protecting Sirius should an assassination attempt occur. In the end, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had offered up their memories for review and it was now down to Sirius and three drops of Veritaserum.

Harry had a poor workout in the gym earlier that morning, his head just wasn't in it. Lou sent him home saying he was too distracted, and a good run would help clear his head. Tonks was turning into quite a runner with their morning jogs, so they decided to double time it and take the long route home. Lou was right, a good run **_did_** clear his head. After showering, Harry had spent the second half of the morning working with Aunt Petunia in the Garden where she tried to take his mind off the trial that was taking place today. He still loved the way gardening made him feel. It was peaceful and calming.

His training for the day had been cancelled due to the trial, but Remus was coming over to stay with him and Tonks. Harry had noticed how close the man had gotten to Tonks; it was nice to see. Lord knows Remus Lupin deserved happiness in his life. His clothes looked nicer, too. Apparently, he was getting paid to train Harry and Sirius was making sure his friend was taken care of. If it weren't for the looming threat of Voldemort and his Deatheaters, life would be great.

By noon, Harry was sitting with Remus and Tonks awaiting news on the trial. Assuming Sirius was found innocent, he had agreed to see a mind healer for a minimum of six months. After a simple evaluation, Andromeda would transfer Harry's magical guardianship back to him. Given that Harry would be about a year away from his independence, the transfer would be more symbolic. Regardless, Harry would be glad to have Sirius in his life. Regardless of his magical guardianship, he intended to stay with the Dursleys until they moved.

Harry and Andromeda were getting along better. Once she saw how hard he was working, she seemed to defrost and ease up a bit in her criticisms. Harry at least knew which fork to use and how to hold it. Ted had met Vernon and they got on famously. Apparently, they were both Muggle Football enthusiasts. Ironically, so was Tonks. The three of them had met up a few times for a pint at the local sports pub. Vernon was slowly beginning to accept that magic and the people who use it are not all bad. It helped when his team won, and a few pints were served.

Petunia had gone to run errands and had left out tea and scones. Looking around, Harry saw Tonks sitting close to Remus. Awfully close. They both seemed comfortable in this position. Good. Remus was reading the same book he started hours ago, but the pages didn't appear to have moved much. Tonks was off in her own world, no doubt they were both thinking about the trial. Wishing they could be there.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Harry leapt up and ran to it, while Remus and Tonks shouted for him to wait. With a short pause, he opened the door and saw Sirius. The man had put on weight and looked much healthier than the last time he had seen him. He had a silly grin on his face that spoke volumes. He was free.

Sirius stretched out his arms and Harry leapt into an embrace. Dimly, he was aware of others. Bill, Andromeda, Ted, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Amelia Bones, and even Dumbledore was there. Harry could have done without the last two, but he was too happy to protest. Forget the grudges, focus on the good. Dumbledore and his crazy ideology. Amelia and her past failures. Andromeda and her disapproving looks… none of that mattered. Just being here made it clear they were on his side.

Tomorrow he could ponder the schemes of Voldemort and the Deatheaters. The slanderous comments in the Daily Prophet. The numerous parties that wanted him out of the picture… But not today.

For today, he was only thinking about the present and the future, not the past.

Sirius was back in Britain.

He had come home.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I'm certain Tom Riddle would have been treated poorly by the Slytherin Pure Blood students at Hogwarts. He enjoyed tormenting the children and grandchildren of the purebloods that looked down their noses at him.
> 
> **The Denairastas Line is discussed in Casting Shadows. Took me a long time to get here, sorry about that. Writing a prequel at the same time as the primary story line has been a brutal endeavour.
> 
> Next Chapter: Tragedy #1
> 
> Sirius was now free, and Harry was surrounded by people that cared about him. His magic was slowly healing and the misery of his fourth year was far behind him. There have now been three chapters were things go relatively well for the young Hero of the story. Unfortunately, things have a way of balancing out. Never forget, tragedies tend to come in threes. And I really want to wrap up a certain scenario with Dolores Umbridge.
> 
> Also, what happened to the Malfoy plans? The assassins Lucius was planning to hire. We'll look at the unanswered questions in the next chapter. suffice to say, the Malfoys are not in a good place right now.
> 
> I skipped the trial as it would have been a long and drawn out section that in the added little to the story. Anyone who had ever seen a real trial knows how horribly boring they can be. With Veritaserum, the trial would be simple and to the point. Why add a bunch of drama to a story that already has enough to go around? Easier to just cut to the chase. So, I did.
> 
> I've focused on this story for three chapters to reach Sirius' trial, but now I'm going to begin splitting my time once more between this story and Casting Shadows. Occasionally I'll update Chimera Rising, but less frequently until I've completed one of the other stories.


	25. Chapter 25

**JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, the star of the show. She is the creator of the world I write in.**

**FASA owns Earthdawn, who I borrow many ideas from.**

**Sirius Black finally received his trial in Britain, he was cleared by an ICW months ago and now Britain was taking heat internationally for their treatment of him. Sirius had activated magical clauses in several contracts which the previous Lord Black, Arcturus, had created years ago. Exercising these punitive clauses and the reparations they required had greatly impacted the funds of the Deatheater families, impacting their ability to support Voldemort. Wars aren't cheap, and now there was a lot less money.**

**Amelia Bones had made public her interrogation of Peter Pettigrew and it was now clear that all Marked Deatheaters willingly took the Mark and were guilty as sin. Sadly, they couldn't be re-tried in court, but they would have definitely been found guilty by public opinion. Fortunately for Fudge, it was the previous administration that cleared them. Fudge had been shrewd enough to distance himself from the families he used to consort with, but he refused to admit that Voldemort had returned.**

**Harry finally recovered the 'Horcrux object' containing his father's incarnation and was able to absorb James' incarnation into himself. He also recovered and bonded with the Everliving Flower that was somehow connected to Oakheart. These key points were allowing his magic to slowly re-integrate itself after being shredded during Voldemort's revival ritual.**

**Harry started therapy and was beginning to realise it was not so bad. The Dursleys were also getting a bit of therapy as well. Harry managed to reach his Dreamscape again, but his parent's incarnations told him that he couldn't visit too often as his core was under 'repair'. In six to eight months, he should be healed up enough to use magic, but full healing would take longer. Monthly visits would work, but more frequent would slow his healing.**

**After considering leaving the Magical world, Harry was informed that he needed to at least get five OWLs to inherit his family vault and avoid being 'Obliviated'. Refusing to return to Hogwarts, Harry had begun Home Schooling with Bill, Remus, and Tonks. Due to the knowledge transfer from his mother's incarnation, Harry had no concerns about getting his OWLs. So, had switched his focus from academic topics to learning skills that would keep him alive.**

**Hermione was so disappointed in the Defence class, she enlisted Cedric to lead the Defence Association.**

**Special thanks to this story's Beta reader, 'Just William' for your help and excellent feedback.**

**This is where we pick up.**

**Chapter 25: The Calm Before the Storm**

— **Dance of Death—**

**Malfoy Manor**

**November 1, 1995**

**7PM**

Lucius Malfoy was having a terrible day. Last night was even worse, he had to explain to the Dark Lord that Sirius Black had managed to stand trial and had been acquitted of all crimes, with only a slap on the wrist for being an unregistered Animagus. With his exoneration, Sirius Black had no barriers to taking full control of the Black family assets and reclaiming his seats on the Wizengamot. Seats Lucius had been holding.

When Juliette Prewett walked into the Wizengamot for the trial, Lucius nearly fainted. How…? The assassins he had hired were supposed to strike the witch while she was entering Diagon Alley from the Apparition point, just before proceeding to the Ministry. Without a Judge to preside over the trial, it would be postponed, and Sirius would be placed in a holding cell. He was, after all, still a fugitive.

Once in the holding cell, there would be an escape attempt and an accident. It had all been planned meticulously. While there was always a margin for error, this had a remarkably high likelihood for success. Unfortunately, the assassins simply… disappeared. Without a trace.

The Dark Lord had been furious. After holding Lucius under the Cruciatus for an extended period, he commanded Lucius to rise. It had taken three painful attempts before he could stand without collapsing. With a quick flick of his wand, the Dark Lord destroyed Lucius' right eye, after which, Lucius had passed out. When Lucius awoke, he was in bed and Narcissa had bandaged his face and eye socket. A prosthetic eye was to be purchased, but it would require fitting by a specialist.

Lucius hated being seen like this. So weak and dependent. Soon after awaking, he was promptly commanded by a junior Deatheater to attend the Dark Lord. With only a brief washing up, he complied. There was really no choice. Lucius was then made to collect his most treasured family heirlooms. The Dark Lord handed the most magical heirlooms out amongst his followers, rewarding them for their loyalty. He had the rest incinerated, destroying beautiful objects that had been passed down through the Malfoy family for generations.

Narcissa had also been forced to watch this transpire. The Dark Lord then excused everyone except Lucius. Lucius was instructed to eradicate Sirius Black and gain the properties of the House of Black by the years end. Failure would result in his family being punished. They would be handed over to Greyback for punishment. Lucius knew what this meant. Draco would either take the mark and be scarred or he would be bitten and infected with Lycanthropy. Narcissa would… fare even worse. And he would have to watch his wife being savaged.

Narcissa found Lucius brooding in the library. He was still quivering from the extended Cruciatus he had been under the night before. The potions helped, but they had their limits. Lucius knew she had entered the room, but he refused to look up. How had he failed them all so badly? Could he recover?

Narcissa approached him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Dearest. I'm so sorry…" pausing a moment, Draco asked, "What can we do?"

Lucius just shook his head, saying nothing.

"Lucius? Surely we can…"

Lucius leapt out his chair. " **Don't you dare tell me what '** _ **we**_ ** _should surely do'_** **, you pampered little…** " Lucius suddenly realised what he had said. Narcissa had stepped back in trepidation. Her face was a mixture of shock and determination. Her wand was out.

"I'm… I'm so sorry, my Darling. I don't know what came over me… Please forgive me." And Lucius broke down in tears. How had his perfect life fallen so far into ruin? What could he do? He collapsed into his chair, weeping.

Narcissa looked at her broken husband. She had never seen him like this. Quietly, she collected her thoughts and put her wand away.

Walking over to the sobbing and broken man, Narcissa asked, "Tell me what has happened."

Collecting himself, Lucius shared what he knew. "The assassins were somehow stopped. Juliette Prewett presided over Sirius Black's trial and he was acquitted. He is the new Lord Black and is recognised as such in Magical Britain and the Wizengamot now. "

Narcissa already knew this. She had seen the effects of Lucius' punishment. His eye destroyed and their family heirlooms ransacked. She knew Lucius was having to liquidate assets to fund the war effort and it was draining their vaults. Lucius had more funds and assets than the other families, but he could only hold out so long. They needed the Black family assets to maintain solvency.

Quietly, she said, "Lucius, I know all this. What else has happened? You're not telling me everything." She almost didn't want to know.

Lucius collected himself. "I have until the new year to gain control of the Black family assets."

Narcissa waited, but he said nothing further. "And if you... are not successful?" She didn't want to say the word 'fail'. Lucius didn't need to hear _that_ word from his wife.

Lucius broke down again. After a moment, he managed to pull himself together again. "He will punish both you and Draco."

Narcissa stopped breathing. This was what she had feared all along. "How so?" She asked in a whisper.

"Draco would take the mark and allow himself to be scarred or… he'll be bitten and infected with Lycanthropy."

With a shock, Narcissa exclaimed, "No… Lucius, we can't let that happen…" After the shock subsided slightly, Narcissa asked, "And what of me?" She had spoken the question so softly; she wasn't sure Lucius had even heard her.

Eventually Lucius said, "If I fail, y-you will be… given to Greyback." He squeezed his remaining eye shut and bit his own lip to prevent himself from breaking down again.

Narcissa gasped. "No… Oh, Merlin. Not that." Lord Knott had failed the Dark Lord in the previous war and his wife had suffered the same fate. She didn't survive the experience. It had been horrible, and her husband had been forced to watch. Thankfully, young Theodore was still an infant and had been spared, but Draco would **not** be so lucky.

Narcissa stood beside her husband. She took Lucius' head and pulled him against her stomach while he broke down in tears once more. Narcissa recalled the way Greyback had leered at her that morning. It sent a shiver down her spine. She still loved her husband, but she had to find a way out. Not just for her, but for Draco as well. Lucius couldn't protect them.

She had until the end of the year…

— **Dance of Death—**

**Harry's Dreamscape**

**Late November 1, 1995**

Harry sat and listened to his father's incarnation explain how illusion magic was all about embracing the 'quasi-real' world. Most people saw illusion magic as little more than simple glamour charms, but it was the basis for so many advanced magical principals. Apparition, Portkeys, Vanishing Cabinets, Invisibility Cloaks, Disillusionment and so much more. In fact, it was also used in Switching charms. It paired naturally with Transfiguration and greatly enhanced the casters effectiveness in combat when paired accordingly.

They talked for what seemed like hours. All the while, his mother's incarnation watched happily. It felt like a real family. James' incarnation had passed on much of his knowledge through the standard greater incarnation ritual, but he was intent on talking Harry through it. In a few months, Harry could even practice it. Together with his mum and dad, Harry had managed to build three enhanced spell matrixes with a fourth in development. The healing was under way.

"Son, your mother did you a huge favour in training you to be ambidextrous. Fighting with two wands is an amazing accomplishment and a worthwhile goal to focus your efforts on. Most witches or Wizards are so used to only using one hand, they become unable to cast with the other. Tell me about the training you're getting now."

"Well, I am taking Boxing classes. Kind of a muggle fighting style. It pairs well with footwork and agility. Remus, Bill, and Tonks are training me to sense and react to magic when I feel it coming. I've always had the ability, but I'm so much more sensitive now… "

James nodded and said, "Excellent! That'll keep you from being surprised. What else?"

"I'm still practicing wards and arithmancy. Hopefully when my magic returns, I can become a Journeyman curse-breaker. Maybe an Enchanter, too." After thinking a moment, Harry added, "I'm still reading a number of excellent combat books. Ironically, one of the best was given to me by Mrs. Figg. She said her husband owned it. It's wicked good."

James looked at Lily and she just shrugged. "I never would have expected that. Her husband died in the 1940's fighting Grindelwald. Amazing." Harry noted a strange look in his father's eye. Something like disbelief.

Lily chimed in, "It's not that rare a book, Harry. I had a copy once. Dear old Penelope McKinnon gave me a copy as well. I think I loaned it to… Marlene? Back in those days, we were so starved for defensive magic. And that book was one of the best."

James was still a bit confounded, "So, how do you know Mrs. Figg?"

"I go over there from time to time. I keep her yard trim and help with her cats. When she breeds Kneazles and cats, any solid Black or Solid White cats don't live long. I try to make them comfortable. She bakes me Cupcakes and Muffins. She's one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met."

James huffed, "The Arabella Figg I knew was an old battle axe. Nice to know someone dulled her edge…"

Lily's temper flashed. "James! She's been nice to Harry, that's all that matters. You're just sore because she never bought into the 'Potter Charm'."

James just laughed. "You know me too well, Lily-flower." And he pulled her into a hug.

Harry tried to look the other way. "I'm going to walk around a bit. I'll be back soon." Harry excused himself and went outside to give them a bit of privacy. The fact that it was all happening in his 'dreamscape' made things more than a little awkward.

Harry walked about around the house on the edge of the recently grown forest. Harry loved these visits. His parents were teaching him magical theory. His dad was brilliant with Transfiguration and he'd been given an incarnation for Illusion magic. The knowledge transfer was underway. His mother's knowledge had been mostly passed on. She was a master of Charms, Potions, and Elemental Magic. Both parents knew their Arithmancy. Harry couldn't wait until he could freely start casting again. He had a lot to prove.

Seeing movement just inside the woods, he slowly went into the newly grown forest. Five feet inside the woods was a beautiful girl who appeared to be about his age. Her hair was a very dark brown that had a tinge of red and her lips were a vibrant crimson. Her skin was a light green colour and covered in thorns. Her eyes were a perfect match for Harry's. Wait, she wasn't wearing any clothes… What the hell?

Harry instinctively knew who this was. What this was.

"You're the flower I merged with. The one helping me connect with Oakheart. Right?" She smelled like a fresh rose. He could smell her from seven feet away.

"Hello, Harry. We've made great progress." She looked around as she said this. Her voice was hypnotic and beautiful. Harry agreed. Once his entire Dreamscape had been in ruins, now it was a majestic forest. "Soon, I'll introduce you to Oakheart."

Harry noticed she didn't blink. That was a bit off-putting. She suddenly looked directly at him and made a long and exaggerated 'Blink'.

She then asked, "Is that better?" She smiled and her teeth were both beautiful and somehow… sharp. She was a definitely some kind of Rose person.

"Yeah, I guess. Did you just read my mind?" She was something wild.

She laughed. Her laugh was a hypnotically beautiful as her speech. More beautiful even. "Harry, we share the same space. There are no secrets between us. You can call me 'Rose'."

Harry smiled. Not very original, but it fits. "It's nice to meet you Rose."

"It's nice to **_'be'_** you Harry." She was still smiling. Still not blinking. This made him feel a bit like he was a Gazelle staring at a Cheetah.

"I probably should head back in." Thinking a moment, he added, "Will I see you again?" He wasn't sure what answer he would prefer. This was a lot to take in.

"Only when you want to. Or when I want to." Seeing Harry becoming nervous, she added, "I'm here for **you** , Harry. You will do so many great things… Purifying Oakheart is just the beginning."

Harry wondered, 'How do you respond to that?'

After a moment he said, "Thanks. I'll… see you around, Rose."

Harry then left and went to re-join his parents.

In his dreamscape.

While he slept.

Yeah. Nothing weird about that.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Hogwarts**

**Gryffindor Common Room**

**November 2, 1995**

**~8PM**

Ginny settled into a chair to begin writing a letter to Harry. The day had been miserable. Gryffindor lost the opening match against Slytherin. Ron completely fell apart as the keeper and Angelina was furious. She had passed on Cormac, but now was regretting her decision. Ron started out fine, but once he missed a couple of blocks, his confidence went right out the door. The game was riding on Ginny getting the snitch before the score blew up. As a seeker, Ginny made an excellent chaser. Yes, she beat Malfoy to the snitch, but during the chase, Ron missed a critical shot, resulting in Slytherin beating Gryffindor in first game. Had she been faster or Ron more focused, it would have been a tied game.

The Slytherins had taken out both Alicia and Katie, limiting the Gryffindor scoring to just Angelina. Ginny longed to be a chaser, but she was stuck as a seeker. She was better than Malfoy and Chang, but no one could spot the snitch the way Harry could. Malfoy had been so angry about missing the snitch, he picked a fight with Ron. Soon, the twins jumped in and it became a free-for-all. Umbridge had been unbelievably unfair and blamed the Gryffindor team for inciting the brawl. More specifically, she blamed the Weasleys. All their brooms were impounded, and they were banned from playing the rest of the year.

Ginny hated dropping it all on Harry, but she was so angry, and she needed to vent. She hadn't even participated in the fight, but now Harry's Firebolt was impounded and in 'lock down'. Talk about a lose-lose scenario. Malfoy taunted and insulted her family, but her brothers and she had been the ones punished. The woman was horrible.

Hermione's Defence Association was going well, but they had to be careful not to get caught. Ginny was certain the Slytherins were practicing somewhere, but they seemed exempt from the rules. Cedric was good and had taught them a great deal, but Ginny decided to leave that out of the letter. She still harboured ill feelings toward Cedric and Cho. No doubt Harry did too. Ron was fairly good at defence and was helping Hermione and Cedric teach the others… If **_only_** he was as good a Keeper as he was a teaching assistant.

Everyone loved the 'Harry and Hedwig' cartoons. They were light-hearted and fun. Ginny put a few clippings in her letter with a commentary. It was nice of Harry to allow the Quibbler to use his 'image'. Luna had confessed to the subscriptions more than tripling since the cartoons were introduced. She was constantly asking Hermione to consider a 'Hermione and Crookshanks' cartoon. Something based on a Muggle cartoon called 'Garfield'. Hermione flat out refused each time. She was familiar with the Muggle version and did not find the comparison to the cat's owner flattering in any way.

The Prophet had tried something similar with a Harry Potter cartoon, but the Black family lawyers chewed them up. They now steered clear of Harry all together wherever possible. They still alluded to him in unflattering ways, but nothing overt. Unfortunately, Dumbledore was fair game. And the articles featuring him had been brutal. They were intent on denying the return of You-Know-Who and slandering anyone who said differently.

— **Dance of Death—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey England**

**November 25th, 1995**

**Saturday**

Harry's Boxing and Physical Training had come an awfully long way in five months. Lou was talking about a possible place in the Amateur Leagues. Harry had taken to Boxing the way a fish takes to water. All the duelling training gave him strong foundations. Add in his desire to win and survive, and you had a very driven young athlete. Dr. Gaines said it was an excellent way for him to vent his frustrations, but she still had him discussing his problems twice a week. She said he had made great progress.

Lou's 'street fighting' training focused on down and dirty fighting, but Harry always had to make a conscious effort not to use those dirty tactics in the ring. Now that his magic was more stable and he could reliably adjust his perception*, avoiding blows was a snap. It was like people were moving at half speed. Harry preferred to train without the enhanced perception, but he would use it in the ring regularly enough to make it a natural part of his 'tool kit'.

Tonks enjoyed training with Harry, but she focused more on exercising and trying to work through her natural clumsiness. She and Harry had a natural rapport and they behaved very much like siblings. Yeah, she was six years older, but they still got along phenomenally. Remus once said Harry brought out her maternal side. He only said in _**once**_.

Harry and Tonks jogged in from their regular workout and arrived at the Privet drive home mid-morning. It was a lazy Saturday and getting kind of cold, so after showering, Harry came downstairs and went to work on his Bike. He and Sirius had completed 90% of his Corsair and were waiting on a few parts to finish the build. Once finished, Sirius had planned to add a few enchantments to complete the design. It would be a flying motorcycle with Disillusionment charms. It was never going to have the speed or the thrill of a racing broom, but it could be ridden on Muggle streets. And they had built it together. It was a real bonding experience.

Sirius had begun therapy and in six months planned to petition for Adoption. Despite all the bad things in their world, Sirius wanted to adopt him. They hadn't told the Dursleys. But given their plans to move to Boston, it shouldn't be an issue. Ironically, Vernon seemed to like Sirius. He saw Sirius as a maverick and Tonks as a 'tough broad'. They all could curse up a storm and Harry frequently blushed at their comments. Harry knew Vernon, Sirius and Tonks were joining him for an afternoon round of Golf so he hoped to get in a few hours of motorcycle repair. It was the last round they would play this year, Harry thought it was already too cold. But he knew he'd have fun.

Sirius was a terrible golfer, but he had enchanted a few clubs to help him out. Harry suspected he just liked to put on crazy clothes and wear them in public. The plaid hat and Golf shorts made him question Sirius' commitment to the game. And where did he get those crazy socks? Rational human beings don't dress like that. Sirius loved to use his driver. It was called a 'Great Big Bertha' and Sirius always loved to make a crack about a fat lady singing.

Tonks was rather good at putting and chipping but couldn't drive to save her life. Harry, on the other hand, had no short game. That meant she and Harry could play together in a 'best ball scenario' and hold their own. Today would be fun. Cold, but fun.

"Alright, Pup! What've we got going on?" Sirius had entered the garage in full golf apparel.

Harry couldn't help but chuckle. Petunia would freak out when she saw him wearing cleats in the house.

"Love the outfit Sirius! Just tweaking my bike. In two weeks, she'll be done."

"You worked hard pup. Just think, we can go riding around through London to bring in the New Year. Good times." And he smiled that rebellious rock star smile that only Sirius Black possessed.

"Well, I need to be 18 to have a licence, but we can always fly together." Harry realised he sounded a bit like a… rule follower?

Sirius laughed, "Bollocks! We'll get a small card and put a Confundus charm on it. If you get pulled, it'll get you out of trouble. Guaranteed. Prongs and I used to cruise around all the time. Good times, Harry. Good times."

Harry grinned back at his 'soon to be father'. Yep, good times.

— **Dance of Death—**

**12 Grimmauld Place**

**London, England**

**December 5, 1995**

Sirius and Albus were both glaring at one another. The meeting had been one argument after another for the last three hours. The rest of the order were rapidly becoming irritated. Fortunately, only about half of the members attended. Sirius kept pushing Albus to be more decisive and to make bigger moves while Albus firmly held to his 'wait and see' approach. He was far more cautious than Sirius felt he should be.

With a deep sigh, Albus tried to bridge the divide. "Sirius, until Voldemort comes out of hiding, the wizarding community will not believe he is back. Your 'direct action' will result in arrest warrants and the dissolution of the resistance. It will play directly into the hands of our enemies." Sympathetically, he added, "The public simply does not want to believe the dark times are returning."

Sirius slammed his hand down on the table, "Then we make them believe! We can't just sit around waiting to be attacked. We tried that last time and look where it got us. We know where he's at! We know who supports him! Why are we just talking?" Sirius had his lawyers quietly reaching out to a few mercenary groups to begin preparing for the inevitable but had not made any definitive moves yet. Yes, he was ready.

Kingsley Shacklebolt shook his head, "You have only recently won your freedom. Why are you so eager to throw it away?" He had grown tired of the back and forth. Sirius had a point, but the timing was wrong. The traditionalist families were expecting something like that. Minister Fudge had even placed the Auror force on alert to watch for Dumbledore followers.

Severus Snape laughed. "By all means Black, throw your life away." Then added in a disgusted voice, "But leave the rest of us out."

Arthur and Molly sat quietly, looking at each other. They hated all the conflict and they were torn on Sirius. Neither felt he was a good potential guardian for Harry, but they also knew he was funding the resistance.

Bill had had enough. "Sirius, when the moment is ready, we will act. But rash moves now will only work against us. We need to draw Voldemort out into the open. Then we'll have the public support. Then we can finally act."

Dumbledore was thrilled to have William in the Order. Not only did Sirius listen to the man, but he was close to Harry as well. Arthur and Molly were fine and upstanding people, but William was a force for change. A force that knew patience due to years as a curse-breaker. No one knew the dangers of acting rashly and unprepared better than a curse-breaker.

Sirius deflated a bit at Bills words. "So, we just wait. And hope he sticks his neck out." Pausing a moment, he asked, "What plans are there to lure him out?"

Remus placed a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Albus, what can you tell us?"

Normally, Albus liked to play his cards close, but he was losing his support. "I half expected an attempt on Ms. Prewett, but no attempts were made. We still have the prophecy he wants. He will be hesitant to act until he knows the full prophecy." Turning to Severus, he asked, "Severus, what can you tell us about the Voldemort's activities." Finally, the meeting was progressing.

Severus Snape clearly didn't like being a spy, but he was good at it. He had made a magical vow to aid and assist the Order against Voldemort and to protect Lily's child. The weariness he felt at being in this position was wearing on him.

"The Dark Lord needs funds to prepare for his war. He is reaching out to the Werewolves on the mainland and gathering mercenaries. But he lacks the funds to do more than make overtures. He is also rebuilding his old political block through bribery and coercion. But the coercion must be moderated and the funds are short since Black drained the liquidity of the traditionalists. He's forcing his supporters to sell off assets as quickly as possible. They are focusing on their overseas assets first, but eventually they will be forced to sell their Great Britain assets as well."

Albus nodded, this was not new, "How successful has they been?"

Severus answered with apathy, "His impatience is working against him as his supporters are afraid to refuse _any_ credible offer. They are liquidating their assets for Sickles instead of the Galleons they would get if they could hold out and negotiate."

Albus sensed more was afoot here. "Who is buying up these assets?"

"No idea." Severus looked over at Sirius with a scowl, "Likely some _impetuous_ and _opportunistic_ investor."

Sirius smiled back, saying, "Well, someone's getting a bargain and preventing the Deatheaters from getting their hands on the real value of their assets. Sounds good to me." His lawyers were collecting the properties under subsidiary holding companies as fast as the Deatheaters were selling them. Always at a fraction of the value. The best part was that he was using the galleons the traditionalists were forced to pay him to do it.

Severus smiled maliciously, "Perhaps we could use Lord Black to draw him out. He… lusts after the wealth of the Black family."

Sirius laughed mockingly directly at Snape, "I suspect he's not the only one." The insinuation was clear.

Albus knew he had to break the two childhood enemies up. "Severus, why wasn't there an attempt made on Madame Prewett? She was an obvious target and we were well prepared…"

Severus seemed a bit concerned. "Someone interfered. It seems the assassins Lucius hired simply… vanished." He looked pointedly back at Sirius.

Sirius shrugged, "Don't look at me. I didn't have anything to do with it. Not that I have an issue with their disappearance."

That concerned Albus… He had wondered about Sirius as well, but the man was genuinely surprised. The Black family lawyers were notorious for unseemly behaviour, but they would not have acted without Sirius' knowledge.

Albus looked at Severus for a moment, "Severus, is there possibly a third party involved? A new player on the scene with their own… ambitions." One Dark Lord was enough, two would be awful. The only benefit was that rival Dark Lords tended to target each other above all others. However, there were always innocents caught in the crossfire.

"That's what the Dark Lord wonders as well." Pausing and considering, he added, "Lucius has been punished severely for failing to have Madame Prewett eradicated. Soon, his wife and son will be forced to pay for his failures…"

Bill asked, "What do you mean, Severus?" That sounded ominous.

Severus looked far wearier at the thought of what he was about to say. "Draco will be forced to take the mark and Narcissa will be… she'll meet the same fate that Lady Nott met."

Bill watched the older members in the room begin stirring and mumbling. Arthur looked sadly at his wife. Whatever this was, it had to be bad. Draco taking the mark was practically expected, but whatever happened to Lady Nott must have been horrible. He made a point to ask his father about it tonight.

Sirius spoke up, "Hey! Lady Nott was just as bad as her husband. She wouldn't have lost a moments sleep if any of the women in this room or the wives at home were dealt her fate. Narcissa is the same exact way. She'd just as soon murder any of you. Trust me, I know." She left him in Azkaban, knowing he was innocent. She knew!

Severus just glowered at him. Obviously, he disagreed. "And my godson? Should a fifteen-year-old boy be forever branded with this… curse?" For dramatic effect, Severus rolled up his sleeve and presented his writhing tattoo. "Because, if he refuses the mark, he will be bitten and… turned." He made a point to stare at Lupin as he said the last part.

Sirius was about to launch into a verbal attack when Albus interrupted.

"Enough! Severus, if Lady Malfoy asks for protection, she will get it. Draco as well. It wouldn't be the first time the Order has provided protection and I dare say it won't be the last." Giving a withering look to Sirius he continued, "The prophecy in the Department of Mysteries is our best hope for luring him out. I've drawn up a watch schedule. Saul Croaker has agreed to... look the other way."

Albus passed around the schedules. When Sirius read it, he exchanged a glance with Remus.

Sirius rubbed his forehead. Looking up he said, "Albus, you can't ask untrained members to put themselves in dangerous positions. If there's a problem, they won't be able to defend themselves. Remus and I have spoken, and we'd be willing to sit in for a few of the members with… other talents."

Albus wasn't sure what to say. He knew the order had lost many of its best fighters in the last war, but there were only so many members able to perform these duties.

Bill looked about and immediately declared, "Count me in. I can cover for a few others." Looking over at Sirius, he added, "Between the three of us, we should be able to make this work." He really didn't like seeing his father on a shift.

Albus sadly shook his head, "No, William. I need you to stay and protect Harry. What excuse could you give for being in a government building? You're not on the Wizengamot and you don't work for the ministry… Remus, the same applies for you. You cannot be found cavorting about the ministry, especially the Department of Mysteries. It would be too suspicious."

Remus sadly asked, "So I do _nothing_?" Remus and Bill had a similar look of disappointment on their faces.

Albus shook his head, "You both continue to train Harry. He **must** pass his OWLs."

Sirius scoffed, then quietly said, "Albus, you're laying a trap and manning it with non-combatants." He shook his head and sadly said, "You're going to get someone killed."

** Notes: **

**No, I didn't get to the first tragedy. By the time I set the scene, it was a full chapter. This story was originally only going to be about 12-15 chapters, but it seems to have other ideas. Sorry.**

***Different animals perceive the world differently. Birds tend to perceive the world with heightened perceptions and that means we all appear to be moving at half speed. It's closely tied to vision but applies more to how images are processed. This is not fiction, it is real. Humans perceive at 60 Hz, Dogs Perceive at 75 Hz, Birds are around 100 Hz, a housefly is perceiving movements around it at 250 Hz. Note that this doesn't mean the animals move faster, they just see everything moving around slower. If you want to read more: do an internet search on 'Dogs, see us move in slow motion'.**

**The Malfoys: To be clear, their situation is awful. But had Sirius been murdered and if Draco had successfully claimed the Black family wealth and assets, Lucius would be a smiling and happy Deatheater. Just as he was in canon. Narcissa would be right by his side, sneering with her nose in the air. Again, just like in canon. But things are different now. They are the** **_victims_ ** **and not enjoying it one bit. Walking a mile in someone else's moccasins had not been fun.**

**Dumbledore's 'wait and see' policy is not as bad as it seems. The Order really is limited in what they can do. Sirius wants to be more aggressive and possibly use mercenaries, but Albus and most of the order think that would very quickly blow up in their faces. No, Sirius does not like to wait. But he always was one to take wild chances. Sirius absolutely resents Narcissa as she knew he was innocent and let him rot in Azkaban. In his mind, she stopped being a Black and became a Malfoy when she made that choice. After all, he was the legal heir. Sirius is not a very forgiving person and his resentment was well founded.**

**Severus Snape has personal ties to the Malfoy family and is protective of Draco, his godson. The idea of Draco being forced to take the mark was repugnant to him. The possibility of Draco being turned into a Werewolf was even worse. Severus was also friends with both Lucius and Narcissa and the thought of Narcissa being given to Greyback was horrifying to him.**

**World Building: Gringotts** **\- Reprint from 'Casting Shadows' story:**

**Why do Wizards and Witches use Gringotts? Goblins are nasty little bastards who would feel zero remorse killing Wizards or Witches. They have little loyalty outside of their own clans and tend to enjoy harassing non-goblins. Why not just have a ministry approved bank run by Wizards and Witches from the Ministry?**

**The answer is simple - No one trusts the ministry with their money. Goblins have a series of treaties that ensures their own survival and autonomy. In return, they are oath-bound through magic to watch and protect the vaults in their care. The agreement was made prior to 1066 when the Wizarding Families were facing attackers from both the Nordic invaders and the Norman invaders. They need a safe place to store their belongings if they had to re-locate.**

**The oaths pre-date the ministry and therefore the ministry has no say on how the Goblins manage the vaults. This means, a corrupt Bastard like Minister Fudge can't get his hands on the vaults belonging to families he is opposed to. Like the Black Family Vaults. Once you descend ten feet below street level, you are in the Goblin Kingdom and the Ministry has no influence.**

**The old families know this and keep their most valuable objects well out of the ministry's hands. By agreement, House-Elves can withdraw objects, but Gold/Currency must be managed through Goblin intermediaries – for a fee. Legal documents are also stored this way to prevent the accidental 'miss-filing' at the ministry. What this means is, every time currency changes hands, the Goblin Nation gets a small percentage.**

**Families that wish to have contracts with punitive clauses tend to anchor the contracts 'magically' to ensure all parties honour the agreements. This way, a family bound by a magical contract cannot simply bribe a few officials to get out of the obligation. The Ministry cannot over-rule a magical contract, but it must be protected to ensure it is not destroyed. For security, the magical community will store said contracts within Gringotts to ensure they stay intact.**

**The ministry can still exert influence above street level. They can assign high fees to activate a seat in the Wizengamot. They can re-allocate seats by Proxy where an heir has not been designated or has not claimed a seat. For Example, the Black Family votes/seats were overseen by the Malfoy family before Sirius returned and claimed them. The ministry can also refuse to research Wizengamot seats that have gone dormant, in refusing to find distant cousins, etc. But the ministry cannot re-assign the content of the vaults. That would require an inheritance test. However, should one of those 'distant cousins' happen to walk into Gringotts and ask for an inheritance test, the ministry would be forced to recognise the holder.**

**So, why do business with Gringotts? Goblins may be a bunch of unpleasant and cut-throat Bastards, but they're a neutral third party and your assets are guaranteed to be protected. The ministry is only as honest as the people running it. Which is to say, not very honest at all. Better to deal with queues than to trust in a corrupt ministry.**

**Also, this arrangement with the Goblins of Gringotts has worked for nearly a thousand years. If it ain't broke…**


	26. Chapter 26

**JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, the star of the show. She is the creator of the world I write in.**

**FASA owns Earthdawn, who I borrow many ideas from.**

**Sirius Black finally received his trial in Britain. He was found innocent and was getting therapy with a mind healer to ensure he was ready to adopt Harry in six months. The punitive and reparation clauses he had activated in several magical contracts the previous Lord Black, Arcturus, created years ago had depleted the coffers of the traditionalist families that once gave allegiance to the Black Family. Wars weren't cheap, and now there was a lot less money. These same families were now liquidating their assets at a fraction of their value to fund the war preparations now that Voldemort was back. Sirius was buying up these assets through holding companies at a fraction of their value with the money from the reparations.**

**Harry finally recovered the 'Horcrux object' containing his father's incarnation and was able to absorb James' incarnation into himself. He also recovered and bonded with the Everliving Flower that was somehow connected to Oakheart. These key points were allowing his magic to slowly re-integrate itself after being shredded during Voldemort's revival ritual.**

**Harry started therapy and was beginning to realise it was not so bad. The Dursleys were also getting a bit of therapy as well. Harry managed to reach his Dreamscape again, but his parent's incarnations told him that he couldn't visit too often as his core was under 'repair'. In four to five months, he should be healed enough to use magic, but full healing would take longer. Each month, he could visit a little sooner. What started as monthly visits was now bi-weekly visits, but more frequent visits would slow his healing. He made the most of each visit by spending time with his parents and his father had begun the process of knowledge transfer that went along with absorbing an incarnation.**

**After considering leaving the Magical world, Harry was informed that he needed to get at least five OWLs to inherit his family vault and avoid being 'Obliviated' and then being cast into the Muggle world. Refusing to return to Hogwarts, Harry had begun Home Schooling with Bill, Remus, and Tonks. Due to the knowledge transfer from his mother's incarnation, Harry had no concerns about getting his OWLs. So, his instructors had switched his focus from academic topics to survival skills.**

**Hermione was so disappointed in the Defence class, she enlisted Cedric to lead the Defence Association. Harry had provided them with training material he used during his fourth year and Ginny, Neville and Hermione keep him up to date. He had agreed to send over new material based on the feedback from his friends, but the first book he bought for them was an exceptionally good one and was still in use.**

**Special thanks to this story's Beta reader, 'Just William' for your help and excellent feedback.**

**This is where we pick up.**

— **Dance of Death—**

**Chapter 26: Fade to Black**

**12 Grimmauld Place**

**Sirius Black's Study**

**December 12, 1995**

Narcissa Black was led into the study by Kreacher. She didn't have much time and she couldn't stay long, just being there was a huge risk. As she walked in, the first thing she noticed was Sirius leaning against the wall and staring out the window. He was dressed nicely, but always edgy. In his right hand was a lit cigarette and the left held a snifter of either Brandy or Whiskey. From what she could remember, it was likely some horrid muggle drink. Jim Daniels if memory served her right.

Sirius slowly turned and took a drag on his cigarette. "Dear cousin, whatever brings you to Casa Black?" He filled the space between them with smoke as he talked. No, he would not be kissing her knuckles. His smile didn't come anywhere near his eyes.

"Sirius. Lord Black. I… come seeking shelter and sanctuary for a son of Black and a daughter of Black. By family tradition I am asking you for shelter and protection as a daughter of house Black to the Lord of House Black." There. She had swallowed her pride and asked for help.

"Cissy, my dear… why on earth would you need protection?"

Narcissa noted he spoke kindly and held a casual smile, but his eyes were cold. Cold as ice. Still, he knew the rules. Giving protection was something all heads of house were required to do. Required by tradition. To refuse would diminish the bearing of the House of Black. Something he dare not do now that he had an heir. She would play his cruel little game. But they both knew how it would end.

Narcissa swallowed a bit more of her pride. "My son and I need protection from… He-who-must-not-be-named."

Sirius looked confused, "Well, Cissy, if you can't name him, then how can I know who you need protection from?" Still with kind words and cold eyes. Narcissa just looked at him. Damn you Sirius, you know who we need protection from. Why are you doing this?

"I speak of V-Voldemort. He has threatened my family and we are in danger. By New Year's Day, Draco and I will be punished. By… Greyback."

"My dear cousin, why do you not alert the Aurors? Surely if you are being threatened, the authorities should be involved. Wait, did you just say 'Voldemort'?" Sirius laughed amusedly. "Now I know you're putting me on, dear cousin. Why, your own husband said in the Daily Prophet just two weeks past… What was it… Ah, yes 'his return was just the fabrication of an attention seeking child'? Wait, what was it he called the Heir of Black… ah, 'The-Boy-Who-Lies'? Of course, he didn't call my godson out **by name** …" Sirius took another drag on the cigarette. "So apparently, you have nothing to fear. But, if you are concerned, you should simply increase the wards on your home. That should keep him out." Polite smile. Calm voice. Eyes forged from the coldest pits of hell.

Narcissa had so little she could say. "Please, Sirius. Please. You know he's in our house. You know what he will do. I'm begging you to help us. Help Draco and me. Please…" She was crying now. All pride and bearing had evaporated. She was reduced to a common beggar.

"Tell me _dear_ cousin, what are you being punished for? Why would he take up residence in your home, eat your food, sleep in your warm and hospitable manor, and then threaten you?" He wasn't smiling any longer.

She had to lay it out. All of it. "He'll hurt Draco and me to punish Lucius for not having you… killed. For not seizing the Black Family assets." There. What he already knew. The Bastard was getting exactly what he wanted. For all his Gryffindor talk, he was as cruel as any Black.

"Well, that must make you feel… deeply conflicted. Tell me Cissy, when I spent more than a decade in Azkaban, did you feel conflicted? When Marlene was… _Brutalised_ … did you feel conflicted? She would have been the next Lady Black and _you knew_ that. From the crime scene file, I know she met a horrible end. Did you know about that?" he sipped his drink, then walked over to his desk. "Here, let me share…"

Sirius pulled out a file, it was marked as private and confidential. How he got it, she could only guess. He proceeded to pull out photographs from the scene. They were horrible. She knew who had committed the crime, but she also knew he had no choice. She knew it had destroyed a good man.

"Cissy, do you know who killed the woman who was to be Lady Black?" When she said nothing, Sirius pulled out another file. "This is Edgar Bone's wife. She was apparently given to a… 'Savage beast'. The brutality fits the standard profile of one man… Greyback. Based on time of death and forensic investigations, she died before Edgar. The general belief is that he was forced to watch… as she was _savaged_. Do you remember them Cissy? From school. They were both so _very polite_. Never said a cross word to anyone."

Narcissa had never seen either of these sets of photos. But yes, she knew their fate. She'd be lying if she said it hadn't bothered her. But she'd also be lying if she said it had made her question her husband's allegiance. In the end, she just put it out of her mind and refused to think about it. She locked it away and pretended to know nothing of it. To never think of the horror… Until now. Looking at Lady Bones, she realised that could be her. Naked and stripped of all dignity. Covered only in her own blood and shame and pain.

"No. Please, Sirius… I am a daughter of Black! You **_must_** help me. Help my child…" She was near hysterical now. Sobbing. In terror of what was to come. Those photos were only meant to hurt her.

"Tell me who murdered Marlene! **_Tell me Cissy!_** _Your life depends on it!_ " Sirius was no longer pretending to be kind or nice. He looked at her as though she was the filthiest of the filthy.

Narcissa fell to the ground sobbing. "I can't… I can't... my vows… I can't… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" There were unbreakable vows in place*… she couldn't betray her husband. Or his… accomplices. And she wouldn't betray… Severus. "Please Sirius, Please! Help me! Help my son!"

"And what of **_my_** boy? What of Harry? Would you stand silently while he was tortured and murdered? The same way your husband did? He stood there in the graveyard and watched Harry being tortured. Repeatedly… held under the Cruciatus… He laughed and mocked my son! But you stand with that Bastard! Just like you stood with him while I was rotting in that nightmare prison… Tortured day in and day out!"

"Please, Sirius, please…" Narcissa had nothing left. She was reduced to a simple beggar.

"Narcissa Malfoy. You left me in Azkaban for twelve years when you knew I was innocent…"

"No, Please, Sirius, don't do this…" He wouldn't… he couldn't…

"You allowed the future Lady Black to be Tortured and Murdered…"

"No-no-no-no-no-no-no… Please, Sirius, please…" Not this. It would be a death sentence.

"You stood by your husband even though he watched the Heir of House Black being held under the Cruciatus curse and subjected to a ritual that shredded his magic."

"Please, Sirius, **_please_** …." Narcissa knew what was coming. "I'm **_begging_** **you** …"

"You are _no longer a Black_. You are **_cast out_** of the house of Black forever more. You… and your offspring. **So Mote it be!** " She felt the magic settle in. The wards were now applying pressure that was not there moments ago. She was a visitor.

"Nooooooo! Oh, Merlin no… You have _doomed_ us Sirius, you have doomed me and my son." She was irreconcilable. A puddle on the floor, blubbering away. Trash that was easily discarded.

With an arctic stare, Sirius Black simply said. "See yourself **out**."

Sirius Black left the room. And with him, went the last of her hope.

Draco could never rise to become Lord Black. No one could know. If the Dark Lord found out… Her worst fears had come to light. She was lost.

And so was Draco.

The clock was ticking…

— **Dance of Death—**

**Hogwarts**

**The Room of Requirement**

**December 18, 1995**

**Monday Afternoon**

Cedric and Hermione had just wrapped up the last Defence meeting in the Room of Requirement. Dobby had occasionally brought supplies from Harry to the group. Primarily books he had found and healing potions from Andromeda. Dobby had also taken it upon himself to decorate the Room of Requirement for Christmas. It was quite nice, and he must have involved a few other elves in the process.

It was a bit depressing because it had a Harry Potter theme to it. Everywhere you looked there were banners and tablecloths saying "HAVE A VERY HARRY CHRISTMAS"**. It served to remind everyone that Harry was no longer there and had been severely injured. The room was split on those who believed him and those who did not, but no one wished him ill. In fact, most of the crowd were looking forward to an attempted rapprochement when Harry was coming in after the Holidays.

Cedric approached Hermione and brought her a mug of hot cider. "The group is really doing well, Hermione. This is a credit to you and your drive. None of these kids would be ready for their Defence tests without our club."

"You deserve most of the credit Cedric. You're an exceptionally good trainer. You and Ron. Susan, too."

Ron and Susan had really stepped up, but Cedric was the best of the group. Hermione knew the most spells, but Cedric had an instinctive understanding of how to use them. Ron and Susan did too. Hermione tended to get distracted by the size of her 'tool kit'. The others all stuck to the basics. Ginny had been the biggest surprise. She was a real heavy hitter.

Cedric smile. "Thanks, Hermione. Honestly, Harry's books and potions really made a huge difference too. Sending Dobby to support was a nice move."

Hermione smiled and nodded. She didn't see any point mentioning that Harry refused to work with anyone but Ginny and her. Well, Neville too, but Neville was content to watch and wait. She had to really apply pressure to get his support. She reminded him that these were the future people that would stand up to Voldemort and it was in everyone's best interest to have them trained.

Cedric pondered a moment, then asked, "Do you know when Harry will be back? I think, well, I know I'd like to… talk to him. I still feel bad and he won't respond to any letters…"

Hermione sighed. "Cedric, you need to give him time. Don't force your apologies on him, just give him support and be nice… he'll let you know when he's ready."

Cedric smiled, "I know. But, it's not just me. Cho is… well, she's really hurting… Susan too." Susan had received her note back covered in owl droppings. Cho was so upset over the summer, she had to see a mind healer. Most of Harry's friends wouldn't even speak to her.

Neville walked up. "Leave Harry alone, Cedric. You've caused him enough problems. You and your girlfriend. Just stay the hell away from him!" This was a Neville Hermione had never seen before. He looked like he was ready for a fight. Cedric was just as shocked. This was so unlike Neville.

When no one said anything, Neville stormed out. Colin left with him. So did Ginny. Yep, Harry still had his supporters.

Cedric looked briefly at Cho. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. Again. "I'd better go. If you do talk to Harry, let him know how much we appreciate what he's doing for us. And tell him we all wish him a happy Yule and a Merry Christmas." He then walked over to Cho and departed.

Hermione sipped her cider and thought about the coming Holiday. She had planned to reach out to Harry. It would be nice to talk on the phone again. Sometimes it paid to be raised in a muggle environment. Hopefully, he would help her with the DA lesson plan next semester.

Ron walked up. "Nice job today Hermione."

"Thanks Ron." You and Susan really add a lot." Ron just smiled.

"I heard what you said to Cedric. Do you really think Harry will come around?" Hermione looked directly at Ron and realised he was upset. He must have heard Neville going off on Cedric.

"He came around with you and the twins. He just needs a little time. But if Cedric tries to push Cho on him, all bets are off." Hermione was still mad at Cho. Lord help the girl if Katie and Ginny were around.

Ron shook his head, "Hermione, you know he just puts up with me because he's mad about Ginny. I think he just does it for her and Bill." Pausing a moment, he added, "But it's not the same. He's too polite if you know what I mean. Always on guard…"

Hermione saw her friend was in pain. She knew he deserved it. His betrayal was one of the worst. "Well, give it time. Eventually, all this training will be use. When that day comes, he'll need you to stand with him." Hermione almost stopped there, but she just couldn't. There was one more thing she had wanted to say to him for a long time.

"Don't let him down again, Ron. You're out of second chances."

— **Dance of Death—**

**Ted and Andromeda Tonk's Home**

**December 18, 1995**

**Monday Evening**

Harry was enjoying a formal family dinner with the Tonks. He was in his dress robes and every time he slumped; Andromeda gave him _that_ look. Tonks was enjoying herself far too much. Harry knew she was loving this. Her mum was suddenly focused on someone else.

Andromeda looked over at Harry and said, "Hadrian, tell me about your day…"

"Aunt Andromeda, everyone calls me Harry…"

Andromeda sighed deeply. "We call you Hadrian at the dinner table because that is your given name, and this is social practice and training. When you are of age, you will be Lord Potter or Mr. Potter or perhaps Heir Black. By the same token, I am Mrs. Tonks or Madame Tonks. Nymphadora is Miss Tonks or Auror Tonks. When we have pizza with Mr. Tonks, Lord Black, and Miss Tonks, you are Harry and they are Uncle Ted, Sirius and… whatever name my daughter has decided to call herself. Really Hadrian, did no one teach you this?"

Harry had enough. Dr. Gaines had encouraged him to open up, well, maybe now was the time. "No. No one taught me this! No one taught me _anything_! I spent my first eleven years living in a cupboard under a staircase. I didn't even know about the wizarding world. Thanks to my damn cursed scar I never even ate at the table. This is hard stuff to learn… I always knew there were two forks, one big and one little. I assumed one was for kids the other for adults. Now I find out there are four forks. Dinner, Salad, Desert, and the infamous shrimp fork. To top it off, the way you set them on the table matters. Waist coats? Formal robes? Bow ties? And no, people in the muggle world don't know how to tie a bow tie. Most just get a 'clip on'. The damn Goblins made me learn how to tie a Windsor knot. They made it sound so amazing, like I was in a special club or something… Then they drop me like yesterday's news. There's just so much to learn…"

This all came out because Andromeda was just **_the worst_**. Always pushing him. Never cutting him any slack. Harry put his head in his hands. He was tired and embarrassed. Why in the hell did he lose his patience at the 'formal dinner'? Now he'd never hear the end of it. He felt a soft hand on his shoulder. Looking up, it was… Andromeda.

Time to face the music. "Aunt Andromeda… I'm sorry." He knew how pathetic he sounded. He really hadn't expected it to be her. He knew he needed to know this stuff, but on top of all the training he was doing… it was just so much…

"It's OK Harry. You're with family. You _are_ with _family_. **_Your_** family…" Harry slowly realised she called him 'Harry'. It really is just practice. Maybe she's not a cold-hearted bitch… Despite his embarrassment, he felt immense relief. Just like Dr. Gaines said he would.

Nymphadora felt so bad for him. At least she had learned this stuff over years. Harry was having to learn it all in a matter of months. She suddenly was reminded of what Remus has said to her. 'Maternal'. There was no denying it, she wanted to protect Harry. He was… family. Her little cousin. Her little… brother.

After a few minutes everyone calmed down. Harry looked embarrassed. He had opened and Sirius was so unbelievably proud of him. But he just let Harry relax and recover. The way his own mind healer said he should. This was his SON! The child of James and Lily! His little boy! He had to play it cool…

Andromeda sat back down. Harry rose and held her chair. He got that right. "Let's make the rest of the evening casual… but next time, we go white tie!" Everyone seemed to let out a collective sigh. White tie was Andromeda's favorite dress code. It also meant they'd be dining in Grimmauld Place. Using the family silver and being served by Kreacher.

The treacle tart came around and Harry took a huge helping. At least his appetite was fine.

"So, Pup, do the rest of us get any?" Flash a cool smile. Be the cool godfather. Every minute counts.

Harry looked at him and said, "Where there's a lot, take a lot. When there's a little, take it all…." The two of them broke out in laughter. Nymphadora joined in with Ted. Soon, even Andromeda was laughing. No, not at the stupid joke. They were laughing at the silly fun they were having. At Harry and Tonks and Ted and Sirius. At Andromeda… At family time. They were there for each other.

Harry talked about his training and about his reading some of his rare books out loud for a set of five dicta quills. He didn't want to part with the old books on combat and strategy, but he wanted to get it to Hermione. He'd choose some of the best chapters and send her the transcripts. This way she could supplement the training the DA group received. He had learned what worked best last year when he was in a constant state of readiness. He wanted to make sure Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Colin, and Luna were getting the training they needed. Katie too.

He made a point to thank Andromeda for the healing potions she had provided. Occasionally someone gets hurt and a trip to the infirmary would give them away. He couldn't have any of the people he was still close to getting punished for wanting to learn how to defend themselves. Andromeda had eagerly risen to the challenge. Apparently, she remembered Dolores Umbridge and was no fan.

Harry talked about wanting to become a curse-breaker and how much he enjoyed exploring old tombs with Bill. The challenge and the reward. Camping out and deconstructing ancient curses… How he hoped to become a master curse breaker before he was thirty. He noticed a few pained looks but chose to ignore it. They all thought he was basically a squib. He'd show them soon enough. Hopefully, he could take his OWLs with a wand. He'd show everyone.

As the evening wound down, Tonks gave Harry the five-minute warning. She needed to return him to the Dursley's by eleven o'clock. It was now eleven fifteen.

Sirius got up and smiled. "Ted, my friend, Andromeda my favorite cousin… tonight has been wonderful. Thank you for such an amazing feast. But I must bid you adieu. Arthur Weasley is sitting quietly in the Department of Mysteries and he should be with his family. Harry my boy, never forget, family first!"

Tonks looked at him critically. "That's nice of you, but I can't help but wonder… A certain unspeakable comes on shift at seven in the morning…"

Sirius smiled. It was the smile of a cat in pursuit of a canary. "I might have my eye on a certain… voluptuous unspeakable…"

Tonks laughed, then said, "You know they're not real, right? She uses charms. To make them… bigger…"

Sirius just smiled, "Your point?"

They both suddenly looked over at Harry who was a deep crimson. Wide eyed and innocent.

Ted was pretending not to notice and holding in a laugh. Andromeda looked exceptionally annoyed. She did that thing with her eyebrow. Where she raises just one.

Sirius cleared his throat. "Arthur needs to be with his family."

Tonks nodded in agreement. She knew Sirius really hated the schedule that had Podmore and Arthur mixed in with Moody and herself. She also knew he liked Arthur and wanted him to get home for Yule celebrations. Unlike Arthur, Sirius didn't have a day job.

"Come here pup." Sirius gave Harry a huge hug. "Soon, this will be permanent. You'll be my son."

Harry was taken back a moment, then said, "I already am… Dad. The lawyers just haven't figured it out yet."

Andromeda couldn't help but look at her troublesome and rebellious cousin and realise that he may have grown up. He just needed a son.

— **Dance of Death—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**December 19, 1995**

**Tuesday 9:30 AM**

Harry had slept great and felt invigorated. He had visited his parents in his dreamscape and his father had transferred a great deal of knowledge around Illusionistic magic. It was so amazing. The ancients had such a different take on magic. Not better and certainly not faster, but quite different. He was also giving Harry pointers around Transfiguration and the use of animated household products. Apparently, it was a big help against the Killing curse. His mother was supportive as always and continued to refresh and review the knowledge she had transferred. Training in your sleep is not a bad way to go. Especially when time is tight.

With the colder mornings, he and Tonks had decided to switch to afternoon workouts. They had started going right after he finished his home schooling. He made breakfast for his family and helped see Uncle Vernon off. They used to argue and refuse his offers to cook, saying that he did enough of that while they were under the curse, but Harry insisted. He liked cooking for his family. Especially when he could join them and joke around with his uncle.

He had his Rune book out and was preparing for his review. He was beyond NEWT levels in Runes. This was a discipline he just loved. He even suspected he could power up a simple runic sequence… but he was going to wait until his parent gave him the all clear. Strange, Bill was late. Bill was never late. Well, not by much anyway. They were supposed to have started at 9:00 AM.

By 9:45, Harry started to become nervous. Then, there was a knock on the door. Harry cautiously approached… It just felt odd. Opening the door, he saw five people. Bill, Remus, Tonks, Andromeda, and Arthur Weasley? Arthur wasn't one of his trainers. They all looked so incredibly sad. Something had happened. Slowly, the dread started to set in.

"Sirius. Where is Sirius?" He knew he sounded desperate, but he didn't care.

Bill stepped forward, "Harry, can we come in?"

"No! Where is Sirius? _Tell me!_ " He was practically yelling now. He heard Aunt Petunia approaching behind him. " **Where is my Dad?** " He couldn't breathe.

Bill said, "I'm so sorry, Harry. Sirius was… killed last night."***

Harry would look back years later and realise he had no idea what happened next. He knew there was yelling and denial. Tears and accusations. He had called them all liars and demanded to know where Sirius was. He just remembered Andromeda holding him. Soothing him as he fell apart. She had been crying too.

In the end, Harry was in bed and had taken a calming draught. How he got it and who gave it to him, he had no idea. He didn't even remember taking it.

Slowly, everything began to Fade to Black…

— **Dance of Death—**

**The opening scene is one I had planned for a long time. Sirius comes across as a cold-hearted Bastard, but he made good points. Was he being cruel? Yes. But in his mind, she deserved it. Yes, she sided with the people that murdered the woman he loved. Yes, she was looking at a horrible fate, but it was the same one Edgar Bone's wife had. Yes, she wanted to save her son, but she was willing to see Harry murdered to save her own family. Maybe she would not have enjoyed it, maybe she would have been repulsed by it, but she chose her side. Sirius was making her painfully aware of that.**

***Unmarked spouses would have to take an oath to ensure secrecy. Seems basic.**

**** Dobby decorated the Room of Requirement in a Harry Potter theme in canon as well.**

***** In canon, Arthur Weasley was attacked by Nagini late in the evening on December 18. Only Harry's connection to Voldemort and Nagini allowed him to get help in time. The event obviously played out differently in this story. Unlike canon, Sirius was now a free man and could stand guard. Being against the use of non-combatants in dangerous missions and loving the thrill of danger, Sirius stood in for Arthur Weasley. Also, unlike canon, Harry no longer had a Horcrux in his head that let him know of the attack. I always felt that Sirius' death was one of the key turning points in the story and I planned to keep it.**

**No, I did not detail out the scene where Harry is told Sirius is dead. I don't think I could match the grief that was so beautifully written in the book and so well portrayed in the movie.**

**The next chapter will likely be huge. I may have to split it into two parts. I plan to cover the funeral, the will reading, and a few other surprises. There will be some action. Goblins, Malfoys, and Dumbledore.**

**My question for readers – Do you think Sirius was justified in turning Narcissa away or was he failing in his duties?**


	27. Chapter 27

**The will reading had taken longer to write than I had expected, so I am splitting the funeral off from the last will and testament. The chapter will be told from a few perspectives.**

**I was disappointed not to get to the will reading, but I really like the results. I have finally hit my stride with this story.**

**We left off with Narcissa Malfoy desperate to escape the horrible situation her family now found itself in. With Voldemort wandering about Malfoy Manor, the Malfoys were being routinely terrorised within their own home. Not only is Voldemort furious that Lucius had lost his first Horcrux – the diary, but he lusts after the Black family wealth and is angry Lucius had not yet acquired it. The lack of funds is slowing down his own plans. To give the Malfoys an incentive, he had threatened to hand Narcissa and Draco over to Greyback for punishment if Lucius had not managed to acquire the Black family wealth by New Year's Day.**

**Narcissa approached Sirius for protection and sanctuary, but he coldly and maliciously rejected her and cast her out of the family. He made her see how hypocritical she was to come to him for aid when she had brought her pain on herself with her actions and her inaction. Both her fate and Draco's hang in the balance and she was terrified and desperate.**

**Note: I am changing the rating to M due to violence. I think 'T' is probably sufficient (PG13 equivalence), but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Just know that I have zero plans for there to be any intimate scenes, the change is purely for the potential violence that is sure to come.**

**Special thanks to this story's Beta reader, 'Just William' for your help and excellent feedback.**

— **Dance of Death 27—**

**Ch. 27 What Heroes Do**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**December 20th, 1995**

Harry was sitting quietly in the main family room, staring at nothing. Perhaps a spot on the wall... Thinking back to the last twenty-four hours, he realised how fast it had all gone by. The last two days had been a whirlwind.

First, he was told the terrible news that Sirius was dead. He vaguely recalled falling apart and having to be potioned. He slept soundly until the next day. That's when reality came home. Today was a hellacious day of shock and grief.

Albus Dumbledore came by to check on him and he seemed sincere in his concern. To his credit, he merely said how sorry he was and offered his support. Harry just nodded. The Dursley's hated Dumbledore, but they held back their animosity today for Harry's sake. Remus was an emotional wreck as well and Tonks was having to support him… Just like Bill and the Dursley's were helping Harry.

Harry lost track of the well-wishers and sympathisers that came by. It all just seemed so surreal. So many people coming by, just to check on him. To Dumbledore's credit, he had Ginny and Hermione released early so they could be here for him. It was nice and he didn't _have_ to do it.

Arthur Weasley and his family had been a difficult visit. Arthur was wracked with guilt over the whole event. Sirius had relieved _him_ from guard duty… so he could go _home_ and be with _his_ family. In Arthur's mind, it should have been him. When he confessed as much, Harry just stood and hugged the man. He knew Sirius would never have wanted to live if Arthur Weasley, father of seven, had perished in his place. **That's what heroes do**.

Apparently, his kindness to Mr. Weasley had meant a lot to the rest of the visitors. It broke the tension, letting the emotions flow. People were crying now. Ginny had arrived with the other Weasley's and she stayed by his side, holding his hand the whole time. Hermione stayed close by as well and, with her parents, helped the Dursley's manage the visitors.

Uncle Vernon had successfully managed to present himself in the best possible way, given the circumstances. He didn't like all the magic and confusion the visitors brought, but he kept it to himself. He gave Harry constant support and affirmation that it was all OK. Aunt Petunia did much the same, even though Harry knew she was worried the neighbours would talk. The Grangers stayed on the periphery with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Harry suspected they grounded his Aunt and Uncle with their normalcy. Thank god they were there, or Uncle Vernon may have had a meltdown.

Eventually, people began to filter out. Hermione was sad, but extremely supportive. She promised to call frequently to check in on him. Harry had missed their daily phone calls from last summer. OWL mail was fine, but it wasn't the same. Tonks eventually dragged Remus out. He had wanted to stay, but she convinced him to get some rest. He looked like he hadn't slept in two days. Andromeda, Ted, Bill, and Ginny stayed to help clean up. Due to Ted's muggle upbringing, he seemed exceptionally normal. Andromeda had learned to navigate in the muggle world, so the Tonks seemed acceptable to the Dursley's. Harry could tell Andromeda did not care for Petunia, but she hid it very well. Ted got along with everyone… but there was nothing new there. Some people were like that… Ginny and Bill were well known and well-liked by the Dursley's. Harry was glad Mr. Weasley let Ginny stay longer with Bill.

Eventually, everyone left, and Uncle Vernon sat quietly with Harry. Neither spoke, but Harry was glad to have someone with him. Aunt Petunia reheated a treacle tart Mrs. Weasley brought over and put it out. Everyone sat quietly for a few minutes, then Harry realised that he should have had sooner.

"Uncle Vernon, I think you need to speed up your re-location." Aunt Petunia gasped at that. Her eyes looked both haunted and afraid. Harry suddenly remembered what happened to her parents.

His uncle looked over at him and asked, "Why do you say that, Harry?" By the look on his face, he already knew why.

"This is just the beginning. They're making their moves and it's only a matter of time. For crying out loud, you guys are in the phone book." Harry shook his head and scoffed. Thinking further, he added, "The ministry of magic knows where we live… and they're as corrupt as they come. You need to speed things up before… before anything else happens." There was no need to say who 'They' were.

Uncle Vernon didn't say anything for a few minutes, then stood up and said, "I'll look into it in the morning. I think we all need a good night sleep." He started to walk out of the room, but turned and added, "I'm sorry, Harry. I know how much you cared about your godfather. And I wish I'd had more time to… make things up to you." Harry knew what he meant. The guilt the Dursley's still felt for his childhood years was, at times, stifling.

Harry could only think of one thing to say… "Thank you, Uncle Vernon."

— **Dance of Death 27—**

**Spinners End**

**December 21st, 1995**

Severus Snape was enjoying a rare moment of calm. He sat and watched the fire burn, giving warmth to the drawing room. A simple warming charm would have done the same, but there was a calming feeling he got when he performed simple tasks with his hands. Staring into a fire always brought him a mild feeling of peace. He was currently sipping a glass of red wine. It was probably from the Malfoy Estates in Bordeaux, but not one of their higher end vintages. Of course, seeing as how the winery had been sold, it may be some other name soon. Either way, it was getting the job done.

He was feeling especially melancholy today. The worst of his childhood tormentors had left this earthly realm. Sirius Black was dead and soon to be buried. Good Riddance. Couldn't happen to a fouler individual. So, why couldn't he force himself to be happy about it? Marlene. She still haunted him day and night. There was simply no escaping her. With Sirius Black gone, there was now no one left to discover his crime. No one to exact their revenge on him. No one to bring him to Justice. Justice that would bring him… peace.

Then there was Lily. Always on the edge of his mind. He had loved her so much… But he pushed her away in favour of the emerging Death Eaters in Slytherin House. He pushed away a true and loyal friend so he could improve his social standing. Then, he tortured and murdered one of her best friends. Well, that's certainly oversimplifying it, but the results were the same. Lily was dead. Her parents were murdered. Her best friend was murdered. Her worthless husband was murdered. Her son was crippled and soon would be murdered. All because he made a wrong turn at Hogwarts.

Look here, his glass of wine had… evaporated. The bottle too… naturally…

There was a sudden knock on the door. Severus ignored it, but it repeated itself. With more force.

Blasted Hell! He mentally focused and lowered the wards on his home. **_"Enter!"_** Hopefully, it wasn't someone who had come to kill him.

Narcissa Malfoy gracefully meandered into his drawing room. She was beautiful, no doubt. She was also terrified. Severus tried not to think of her position. Of how her cousin had so cruelly turned her away. Whatever he had said to her, had a deep and profound effect. For two days, she had taken ill and refused to leave her room. When he finally saw her, he recognised the haunted look on her face. It was the same look he saw every day, whenever he looked in the mirror. Guilt. Damn you Black, for making her see herself like that. Damn you, and good riddance.

Severus forced himself to rise, "Lady Malfoy, to what do I owe… the pleasure?" She looked at him and he saw concern on her face. She always had shown him kindness when he was hurting. Such a rare thing. And from such a _glacial_ woman.

"Severus. You seem… unwell." She paused, considering whether to stay. This wasn't the first time she had seen him on the wrong side of a bender. In the past, when he had too much to drink, she generally left him with a pitcher of water and what little pride he could manage. But today, she was not moving. She obviously had something to ask. Something she felt couldn't wait.

Severus didn't have the patience. "Lady Malfoy, please say whatever it is you came here to say. I fear I am swiftly losing my… focus." He tipped his empty glass up to his mouth in hopes of getting a few more drops. He succeeded.

Narcissa Malfoy came and sat across from him. "Severus, what can you tell me about Harry Potter?"

Severus sneered. It always came back to that boy. James Potter's face with Lily Potter's eyes. The reminder that his childhood tormentor ended up with the woman he had loved. The reminder that he had ruined so many innocent lives with his mistakes.

"I can tell you less than Draco. But, far more than Lucius. Can you be more… specific?" He delivered his answer in a flat and monotone voice. The same voice he used whenever he was feeling especially sarcastic.

"If Potter becomes the next Lord Black…"

"He won't. You already know that." Severus knew the plan. He knew what was going to happen. Harry Potter would never be Lord Black.

"Humour me, Severus." And she adopted a look. It was a pure Black look. One that tolerated no fools or foolish behaviour.

She was so like Bellatrix in her mannerisms. Yes, so like Bella, but without the insanity. Well, no telling what that crazy bitch was like now… Had it really been fourteen years? He suppressed a shudder. Fourteen Dementor filled years. When the Dark Lord got around to freeing her, there would be little left of the Majestic and Aristocratic Lady Bellatrix Lestrange. It remained to be seen if that would be a blessing or a pity.

With his silence, she continued, "Is he anything like Sirius? Would he grant Draco and I sanctuary?"

Severus laughed. What was the point in this speculation…?

"If by some… miracle… Potter became… Lord Black, then yes. He would most likely do the right thing. He is _nothing_ like Sirius. He's nothing like James, either." It had taken him a few years to reach that conclusion. Despite himself, he wished he had reached it sooner. The boy always seemed to bring out the worst in him. Severus then made a disgusted look and said, "He is **_painfully_** noble." In the back of his inebriated mind, he mentally added, 'Just like Lily'.

This seemed to give Narcissa hope. "Then, you believe he would say yes. If I asked for protection…"

Severus laughed again. He had advised her to seek out Dumbledore, not Sirius Black. But she had ignored him. Her conversation with Sirius had nearly broken her. She wanted a third option now, but it just wasn't there. Harry Potter would _never_ be able to help anyone, least of all her. Still, he cared for Narcissa. He owed her an answer.

Severus placed his glass on the side table. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "The boy has a ' _saving people problem_ '. He can't. Say. **No**." The last four words were delivered slowly and deliberately, in true 'Snape' fashion.

— **Dance of Death 27—**

**Surrey Boxing Club**

**Surrey, England**

**December 22, 1995**

**~ 9AM**

Dudley Dursley had returned home the day before and was sorry he wasn't home sooner. He made a point to give Harry space, but to be there when needed. The next morning, he suggested to Harry that they get in a quick workout. He had gotten the idea from his youth minister who mentioned physical activity to help those in grief. Vernon drove them to the gym as he wanted to try and shed a few pounds by using the stationary bike. Dudley suspected he just wanted to stay near Harry and to possibly take 'his boys' out for a _big lunch_. No wonder he couldn't drop any more weight.

Upon arrival, Lou made a big fuss over Dudley, his star Heavyweight. He went on to say there was something in the blood as both boys were 'born fighters'. That made his dad swell with pride. Considering how much all this training was costing his father, Dudley was glad there was a bit of reinforcement.

Watching his smaller cousin, Dudley was shocked at how far Harry had come in four short months. Lou was, apparently, having trouble finding people able to give Harry a challenge. Dudley was more shocked when he saw some of the street fighting techniques Lou had taught Harry. He knew his dad had been furious when he found out Harry had been 'mugged', but he hadn't expected to see _this_.

Dudley had heard about Piers and the gang, but he also knew Harry kicked Piers' ass and the other boys were in serious hot water. He considered paying them all a visit, but his own youth minister at Smelting's had advised against retaliation. The minister stressed the need to be supportive of the victim rather than exacting revenge. He wanted Dudley to break the cycle of violence, not reinforce it. At the time, he struggled with the advice. Controlling your temper is far easier said than done. However, watching Harry brutalise opponent after opponent made him realise that Harry no longer needed 'protection'.

Harry was a lot denser, physically speaking, than he'd been four months ago. His arms and shoulders were thicker and there wasn't an ounce of fat on him. Weighing in at 57 kg (~125 lbs.), he had gained weight. He was taller too, up to about 165 cm (~ 5' 5"). He had gained… about seven kilos (15 lbs.) since Dudley last saw him. With a chuckle, Dudley thought, 'Maybe he finally hit puberty'. Harry was still small, but in a 'condensed' way. Solid as a rock. Dudley was a little envious of Harry's cut physique, but he liked being big, so… whatever.

Lou had Harry fighting 'Middleweights' (~ 160 lbs.) and 'Light Heavyweights' (~ 175 lbs.) for the most part. Even though Harry was now in the 'Featherweight' class, he needed stronger and heavier opponents that could go toe to toe with him. That meant 'fighting up' in weight classes. It was obvious that Lou saw a lot of potential in Harry, just like he had in Dudley.

Harry seemed to be near impossible to score a solid hit on and he had a style where he went straight into the body and just tore his opponents up. It seemed to be highly effective against larger opponents. Dudley realised Harry must have been training every day to be where he was now.

Lou stepped in between Harry and another of his opponents. A middle weight. "Stop! Arright Whiplash, he's had enough. Phil, nice job, but you can't let Whiplash get inside o' yer reach. He'll tear ya up if ya do. Both of ya need to cool down now. Phil, catch yer breath and jump rope for fifteen minutes. Whiplash, I want you rowing for thirty, medium to heavy resistance."

Lou made the rounds, then went over and spoke to a slender man in a suit. They went into his office and shut the door. Within about fifteen minutes, Lou came out and pulled Vernon off the stationary bike, taking him into his office as well. Dudley noted all this while warming up before his own practice round began.

— **DoD—**

Harry wrapped up on the rowing machine and went to shower up. The workout had been good for him. Yes, he went a bit harder on his opponents, but it helped him deal with the anger he was feeling. Losing Sirius was brutal, and tomorrow was the funeral. Dr. Gaines had an impromptu session with him and explained the seven stages of grief.

Harry knew it was all normal, but it felt like he had just entered the 'Anger' stage and had no way out. He wasn't even sure he wanted out. It felt good to lash out in the ring, he just had to keep his dirty tricks out of it. As the hot water beat down on him, he began to regret a bit of the pummelling he gave Phillip. But, that's why he fought above his weight, the larger guys could supposedly take a pounding. Next time he'd insist on a heavyweight, though. Phil was a nice guy and Harry didn't like the way he felt afterward.

When he came out of the locker room, he noted that Dudley had begun a practice round with another Heavyweight and the two were easing into it. Harry almost felt sorry for the other guy, he'd seen Dudley cut loose and it was _not_ something he'd want to meet in a dark alley. Still, Harry knew he could hold his own against most other teens. Worse case, he could outrun them… He and Tonks had really upped their speed and stamina jogging home from the gym.

While watching the round begin, he heard his uncle call his name out. "Harry?" Looking over, he was approached by both Lou and Uncle Vernon.

His Uncle was grinning ear to ear. He made a fist and gave Harry an exaggerated playful punch to the shoulder. "Looking good there, Harry. Honestly, I was a little shocked at how good you are! You're like that _Bruce Lee_ chap."

Harry could tell his Uncle was impressed. This was how he acted when Dudley would win a regional bout. Kind of odd that Uncle Vernon was comparing him to Bruce Lee after all that 'Karate is for sissies' talk. Still, Harry had to admit that Boxing had been a great way to learn to fight and get in shape.

Harry grinned. "Thanks, Uncle Vernon. Lou really pulled out all stops."

Lou shook his head, "Nah, Whiplash, this's all you. I know yer here most every day. It's paid off." Looking around a bit, he asked, "Where's that girl o' yours? You know, the looker with the funny hair…"

"Tonks?" Harry shrugged, "She had a family matter to deal with. She'll probably be mad I came without her…" He knew that was an understatement. She would be _royally pissed_. But he was with Vernon and Dudley… He enjoyed spending time with Tonk's, but he did occasionally enjoy getting out and away from his 'bodyguard'.

Uncle Vernon caught his eye. "So, there's a talent scout from Cambridge, Harry. He was impressed with what he saw. If you have a moment, he'd like to talk to you." With a curious head tilt, he added, "Privately."

Harry knew Dudley had already been approached by a few recruiters. All offering scholarships and opportunities. It looks like he was being recognised as well. Had he really gotten that good? He'd only be at it a few months…

"Sure, Uncle Vernon." Pausing a moment, he added, "Lead the way." There was something about the way his uncle's eyes looked. Slightly… unfocused?

— **DoD—**

Narcissa Malfoy had gotten a private message from one of the professional contacts she had hired to track down Harry Potter. Like the multitude of investigators Lucius had hired, this one had disappeared weeks ago. She had long assumed him dead and gone. She and Lucius theorised that Sirius had hired lethal protection for Harry as so many of their hired contacts had simply vanished… without a trace. Never to be seen or heard from again. Lucius had to begin using intermediaries, but even they would disappear. That was a problem for another day.

Narcissa had been told to go to the Surrey Boxing Club and to tell no one. She had been assured Harry would be there, but she might have to wait a while. Her contact had suggested she pose as a recruiter for a Muggle University called Cambridge. Once in, she would have to find a way to meet privately.

It was child's play to manipulate the interaction with the trainer and the corpulent uncle. A simple glamour was used to give her the appearance of a man. Men always were deferred to in such masculine environments as a combat-oriented gymnasium. Imitating a man was harder than looking like one. It went against all her upbringing, but she could manage it. Once she had convinced the Muggles that she was offering an amazing opportunity to their charge, a mild compulsion charm was all that was required, and they were eager to set up a private meeting with Potter. After they left, she placed a privacy charm on the office, no one would hear what would transpire.

She was impressed watching the Potter boy in the 'fighting square'. He was a gifted combatant. His movements were both fast and efficient. For a smaller sized individual, she noted with surprise the fact that he seemed to prefer closing the distance and getting in remarkably close. So close, he was hard to target himself. Once he'd closed the distance and was well inside the reach of his opponents, he was quite ruthless. If he had possessed a knife, he would have murdered every one of his challengers. One after the other.

She'd never seen a wizard or a witch able to fight like that. The same applied to a few of the other Muggles she had witnessed. Apparently, without the benefit of magic, Muggles had perfected the art of 'fisticuffs'. She shook her head at the absurdity of the name's Muggles used. A 'Ring' that is a square and 'Boxing' for fist fighting. She would amuse herself about that later.

Now that Sirius had cast them out of the Black family, Draco could never inherit the title of Lord Black. If he were tested and this became known, they would both suffer _horribly_ at the hands of Greyback. The Dark Lord was completely insane, and Lucius was marked and unable to resist the wishes of the Dark Lord. Sadly, she had come to accept that her husband was doomed and there was nothing she could do about it. It was only a matter of time. But she had to think of Draco. He must not be forced to take the mark and he must be kept safe. Her son's safety was the most important thing to her. His safety and her own.

Yes, Draco could never rise to become Lord Black, but no one had been told. Narcissa knew the Dark Lord would be furious if he found out. She needed to buy time so she could take Draco and flee the Dark Lord's control. She knew he would torture and possibly murder Lucius as an act of vengeance, but there was no other way. If the Dark Lord lost the war, Draco could return and claim the title of Lord Malfoy. And if the Dark Lord won… Bavaria wasn't so bad. And they could smuggle galleons out of England through the Paris branch of Gringotts.

Her plan was simple, she would make Potter an offer he couldn't refuse. He would abstain from attending Sirius' last will and testament reading and she would offer her services and support to the next Lord Black. Harry Potter would soon come to rely on her as his new magical guardian and Draco as his peer and protector. With the two of them, he would be safe. His inability to use magic would not hinder him. Narcissa might not be considered a Black, but she could be the guiding hand behind the next Lord Black. Perhaps, in time, she could even come to care for the boy. After watching him fight, she saw he had potential. One day, Potter might even reinstate her in the family.

Yes, there were still details to work out, but she had the bones of the plan together. By February, she would no longer lay awake at night, afraid for her life. Perhaps she could even convince Potter to relocate to Bavaria… or Switzerland. The plan had risks, but it was the best plan she could make on short notice. This would have been much easier if Sirius had helped her. Now it all hinged on Potter giving them protection and abstaining from the will reading.

There was a knock on the door, briefly followed by its opening. Harry Potter walked in with his uncle and his trainer behind him.

Potter looked at her a moment and nodded. He then turned to his uncle and his trainer, "Thanks, Lou. Uncle Vernon. I'll come get you when we're done." And he casually shut the door.

Harry turned around and extended his hand, "Hello, I'm Harry Potter."

She reached out and shook his hand in a Muggle way she had seen. Suddenly, grasping her wrist, he darted under her arm resulting in her being spun around. Her wrist was twisted, and her arm was fluidly and painfully pulled behind her back. In the flurry of movement, a sharp device was suddenly pressed against her throat. How had he managed to see through her glamour? Now she was completely at his mercy. Her secondary wand was on her right thigh and her left hand was unable to reach it.

She was quickly forced, face first, against the wall. She was completely at Potter's mercy. The sharp object at her throat had nicked her a bit in the scuffle. "Please, I only want to talk…" She plead, more pathetic sounding than she preferred.

The boy spoke evenly, "So talk. Starting with who you are and what you want." There was a vicious edge to his even voice.

"I'm… a daughter of the house of Black. I'm looking for sanctuary and protection… Please, I'm in need of assistance…" She was also in pain and more than a little afraid for her safety. With the privacy charms she had set, no one would come to her aid.

She felt the sharp object on her throat disappear, but his hand was quickly placed to the back of her neck, holding her face against the wall. Undignified. Still, it was a good sign. Having a blade at one's throat was not an enviable position.

"I see. Well, where is your wand? Or should I say… wands?" He was fishing, but he was also holding all the cards. She considered lying, but she really wasn't in a good position. Narcissa accepted that she was beaten.

"My primary wand is on my right wrist. My secondary wand is on my right thigh. I swear I am here in good faith."

She felt him take the wands from her. It was very demeaning to be 'manhandled' this way. His hands roughly felt about on her thigh, then her wrist. He checked a few other locations as well. She took a small bit of comfort knowing there was no lustful intentions in his roving hands. When her primary wand was taken, she lost control of the glamour and felt the boy stiffen in surprise. He released her wrist, allowing her to extract her arm from behind her back. Her right shoulder ached where he had twisted and held her arm behind her.

"Lady Malfoy? What are you doing here…?"

Turning, she saw a young teen, shocked both by her presence and, apparently, at having assaulted a woman. There was an innocence about him. More than innocence… Apparently Severus had been correct. Harry Potter was… Noble.

After recovering her poise and dignity, she began the speech she had intended.

"Heir Black, I come seeking shelter and sanctuary…"

— **Dance of Death 27—**

**Gringotts**

**December 22nd, 1995**

**4PM**

Harry was sitting in Director Ragnok's office waiting for the goblin. He had persuaded Uncle Vernon to let him visit Dr. Gaines while Vernon and Dudley had Fish and Chips nearby. Both his Uncle and Dudley had agreed. They knew Harry relied on Dr. Gaines and this was a difficult time for him. But Harry didn't go to see Dr. Gaines. Using his cloak, he had quickly snuck into Gringotts. Once there, he went to the VIP line and asked to speak with the director, using his title as the future Lord Black. Knowing the Director had written him off after he lost his magic, he needed the title to get the interview.

Earlier that morning, Narcissa Malfoy had arrived at his gym under a glamour. He was able to sense the magic and knew by the way it 'felt' that there was a glamour in play. The training he had received from Tonks came in handy as he was able to quickly overpowered and disarm her with standard Auror techniques. He was shocked that not only was it a woman, but that it was _Narcissa Malfoy_. While he was eventually convinced of her sincerity, he was also shocked that a person with Deatheater connections had tracked him down. It was only a matter of time…

Narcissa Malfoy had shared a great deal with him. First and foremost, the fact that Draco was going to challenge him to the Black Lordship at the will reading. She had practically begged him not to attend, pointing out his lack of magical ability. While he mistrusted her intentions, the woman genuinely seemed afraid. She shared with him the fate that awaited her and Draco.

Despite his hatred of the Malfoy's, he had to admit their fate was horrible. She proceeded to describe what it was like to live in fear every day and how her elves were being hunted and fed to Nagini. Harry had mixed feelings. Perhaps Lucius deserved his fate, but did his wife? Did his son?

Then the negotiations started. Narcissa focused on how she could help him. She offered her services and her support, if he gave her shelter and protection. She discussed helping him navigate the pureblood world and giving him magical protection. She also knew the assets he could use as the future Lord Black. Apparently, there's a Black manor in Bavaria that was rather impressive. A few other properties as well, like the one in Switzerland. Even some island in the Caribbean.

Harry wondered if she had any idea how many people were already filling these roles. But she was desperate, so he was kind. Why hadn't she approached Sirius? He would have been much more able to help her out of this jam. At least she had given him knowledge on the will reading. He now knew what was to come.

In the end, Harry offered to give her protection in exchange for future vows of loyalty and support, to be solidified after the will reading. There was no way he was leaving this level of risk to an easily twisted oath. He wanted contracts, like Arcturus created. The ones Sirius used to drain the vaults of the traditionalist families. Yes, Harry had paid attention and he thought Arcturus was brilliant. Learn from those who came before you…

No, he had no idea how to draw up such contracts, but he had known where he could go to find out. His parent's incarnations may know. He'd discuss it with them tonight while he slept, but time was of the essence and he couldn't afford to lose a day. Technically, it hadn't been two weeks since his last interaction in his dreamscape, but these were extenuating circumstances. Of course, he could also ask Ted… but he wanted to know more first. About different contracts and this challenge Draco would be making. This is what brought him into Gringotts.

Ragnok entered the office and took a seat in his chair. "Heir Black, it's good to see you again. What can I do for you?" The Goblin's words were polite, but his tone and body language were clear. He was irritated. He had written off Harry Potter months ago and had no more use for him. Harry knew he would change his tune soon enough. Ragnok loved making wizards and witches look bad. He would simply love _this_ opportunity.

"Director, I need a bit of advice and assistance…"

— **Dance of Death 27—**

**Black Family Burial Grounds**

**Ruins of Ashor Castle**

**Lundy Island off the coast of Devon**

**December 23, 1995**

**11 AM**

Hidden from muggle eyes, there are ruins of a small keep in a remote section of Lundy Island. The ruins are little more than a few circles of stones and remnants of walls outlining what was once a home for the original Black Knight. It is nestled between cliffs of Granite and it has a small area where the Lords of House Black are buried. There are dozens of stones marking the resting place of each Lord Black since Lord Ashor Black himself. Honoured family Knights and champions were also buried there from time to time.

This is where the Black family originated. These were the assassins of kings. The protectors of tradition. The House of Black was always the house of the skilled and powerful. The house motto, 'Always Pure', has been used many times in many ways. Some say it once meant 'pure of heart' and the Black Knight was once tasked with killing tyrannical kings. Others say the Black Knight takes on the sins of his King so the King may remain 'always pure'. Some say the motto is referring to purity of spirit and of purpose, never surrendering or compromising your principals. In recent decades, the family interpreted the motto to mean the Black Family was pure of blood and all in the line must also be pure of blood. In the end, it never mattered. The Lords of House Black would rise and fall, but they would always end up on Lundy Island. Resting in Peace. Beside the remains of a once small, but well-fortified, Bronze Age keep.

A small gathering was on the edge of the cemetery. At the centre of this private gathering, the body of Sirius Black was slowly lowered into its final resting place. He rested within an intricately carved mahogany coffin bearing the family crest. It was lowered and covered while his friends and family watched and lamented his passing. Those considered family were closest to the grave. A teenaged young man with messy black hair and glasses stood beside a talk man with Red Hair. Beside the taller man was a beautiful woman with long silver blonde hair. On the other side of the teen was another teen, she was a young lady with red hair. The teens were gently holding each other's hands while the young man stared at the freshly covered grave.

Near him were other family members, all lost in their own thoughts and regrets. A tall attractive woman with thick brown hair was with her large and somewhat overweight husband. They stood with their daughter who appeared to be in her early twenties and had spikey pink hair. She was holding hands with a sandy haired man whose face was covered in scars. He appeared to be at least a decade older than she was.

Slightly further away, was a larger group of friends. Men and women the deceased had worked with and knew well. An older man with a long beard seemed to command the most respect. Near him was a tall and slender older woman with glasses and hair pulled into a tight bun. A large family of red heads fidgeted about. A half dozen other friends watched the burial as a tombstone was set in place. It read:

Here lies

Lord

Sirius Orion Black

Padfoot

Marauder Eternal

The Most Sirius and the Least Serious

He Was Loved.

11-3-1959 to 12-19-1995

Rest in Peace

The funeral ended and the attendees slowly departed. Before leaving, each person approached the family and expressed their condolences. It was part of the process for saying goodbye. All the correct traditions were honoured and a dear friend to all was laid to rest. To rest in peace.

Soon, the family members Apparated to 12 Grimmauld Place, where the reception would follow. Little was said, but words were not necessary. As the family Apparated away, the site slowly shimmered and faded out of sight. Within minutes, there was no trace of the ruins or the cemetery. The ancient home of the Black Knight was hidden from sight once more.

— **DoD—**

**Told from the Point of View of Andromeda Tonks**

—

**12 Grimmauld Place**

**London, England**

**December 23rd, 1995**

**Noon**

Andromeda Tonks was quite proud of Hadrian. He had shown strength and poise during a heart wrenching ordeal. Given the return of Voldemort, there was a high likelihood of more funerals in the days to come, but it was best not to dwell on that. In an hour, mourners and well-wishers would begin to come and pay their respects. Unlike the funeral, this would include more than just Sirius' friends and family. Kreacher had prepared enough food for the occasion and Hadrian had politely asked Walburga's painting to refrain from harassing anyone. Given Hadrian's blood status, Andromeda found it very odd that she listened to him. That was a question for another day.

Hadrian was Sirius' designated Heir and was responsible for personally greeting all the visitors. There would be many visitors today. Some who were close, and many who were not. Still, tradition must be honoured. For Sirius' sake. Andromeda had walked him through his role and responsibilities, and he had adhered to tradition flawlessly. No one at the reception would be able to say Hadrian had failed to comport himself as the Heir of an Ancient and Noble house should.

As she had expected, several the visitors from the traditionalist families were at best neutral and a few were likely supporters of Voldemort's proposed pureblood agenda, if not his methods. To allow them so near Hadrian was a risk, but one that must be taken.

Dumbledore had argued against the exposure, but she was his legal guardian and had insisted. If he was to become the next Lord Black, then this was his coming out, so to speak. He would be meeting many influential families for the first time, and this first impression was critical. Between the family wards and the enchantments on the Heir rings, Hadrian would be acceptably safe. Given the number of Dumbledore followers in the home, an outright attack would be simply ridiculous. After the reception, the wards would be reset to their normally lethal levels and possibly enhanced even further.

In the end, most of the Voldemort supporting families refused to attend or acknowledge the funeral or Harry. That was a blessing. There was one glaring exception. Narcissa Malfoy and her son Draco were coming by at four o'clock. Hadrian had taken it well, likely in part because he was still in a bit of shock, but she was nervous that he would be on a short fuse. One vile word from young Draco and her ward could explode. William had always been kind enough to stay near Harry, as had Arthur. Hopefully, they could head off any problems before they occurred.

The other social concern she had was with the young lady that Hadrian seemed so close to, Ginevra. She appeared supportive, but she was not following the traditions that would normally be required at a formal reception, such as this. Fortunately, all eyes were on Hadrian, not the emotional young lady beside him. Molly Weasley was just as bad, maybe even worse, with the way she sneered at the traditionalist families. You'd never know she was a Prewett by birth.

While Andromeda was considering the Weasley women, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy entered Grimmauld Place. Most of the other visitors had left, so there wasn't a crowd to see these two arrive. Lucius was not welcome, but there was no turning away two individuals that were extended members of the Black Family**.

With a stiff posture, Narcissa Malfoy approached Hadrian. Draco was at her side and he was just as stiff. They both seemed nervous and out of place. Neither looked about the room or made eye contact with anyone in attendance. Andromeda watched them approach and noted that Hadrian seemed disconnected. Narcissa and Draco stopped in front of Hadrian.

Draco cleared his throat and spoke, "Heir Potter, please accept the condolences of House Malfoy on the loss of your godfather."

Hadrian gave a simple, but acceptable response, "Thank you, Heir Malfoy. The House of Black recognises and appreciates your support in this difficult time." Cold, but acceptable. Andromeda breathed a bit easier.

Andromeda realised Draco Malfoy said the minimum required by tradition, but nothing outwardly antagonistic. She did note that Draco referred to him as Heir 'Potter', not as Heir 'Black'. That was a very subtle challenge. Hadrian's response was perfect. He even made a point to speak for the House of Black, asserting his position as the Black Family Heir.

Narcissa held out her hand. After a brief pause, Hadrian kissed her knuckles. Andromeda knew how much he hated kissing hands. Most muggle-born and muggle-raised individuals struggle with that. Hadrian was no exception. Molly Weasley sneered not so subtly.

Narcissa ignored Mrs. Weasley and seemed far less cold than her son, "Heir Black, you have our sympathy and respect. Know that, as a daughter of Black, I offer my most sincere condolences. Please feel free to owl us if there is anything we can do to help."

Narcissa's statement shocked Andromeda. Not only had she addressed Hadrian as the Black Heir, but to offer correspondence… it was shocking. Narcissa seemed far more conciliatory than expected.

"Thank you, Lady Malfoy… The House of Black recognises…" Hadrian had lost his train of thought for a moment. Yes, he was off balance. Draco looked stunned by him mothers' words. So did everyone in ear shot.

Collecting himself, Hadrian picked up, "The House of Black recognises your sympathy and respect. Your support is appreciated." It was like what he had said to Draco, but less frigid. Andromeda noted that Ginevra's face was red as a tomato and she was glaring daggers at both Malfoys. She seemed about to explode. That wouldn't do, she needed to intervene.

Stepping forward, Andromeda spoke up, "Dear sister, so good of you to come." Turning to Draco, "Nephew." There was no warmth in her greeting. She approached the pair only to satisfy tradition. And to prevent an outburst from Ginevra, embarrassing the family. What did Hadrian see in her?

Draco took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Aunt Andromeda." Draco executed the traditional greeting flawlessly and without hesitation. Andromeda noted that Hadrian showed a spark of anger when Draco kissed her hand. Apparently, he feels protective of her. Thankfully, he said nothing and Ginevra managed to control her mercurial tongue.

Narcissa looked over at Andromeda, "Dear sister, I hope you are well." She smiled, but the smile never reached her eyes.

"Your concern is touching." This was as polite as Andromeda could manage. She still remembered the comments her younger sister had made when the family learned of Andromeda's pending nuptial to Edward.

Narcissa used Andromeda's appearance to cut the visit short before difficulties arose. "I fear we must depart, but we wish you all a calm and quiet evening." Andromeda was a bit surprised to see and feel no edge to her words.

Hadrian simply said, "Thank you, Lady Malfoy. Be safe." Andromeda was proud. Hadrian held himself well. Thank goodness. But his statement to 'Be safe' sounded odd. They hadn't rehearsed that.

After the Malfoy's left, Nymphadora came over and shook her head, "That was some weird shite." The crass comment earned her a withering look from her mother. Still, Andromeda couldn't disagree with her daughter. That was… unusual. With a little luck, she wouldn't have to use the words _Dear_ and _Sister_ together for quite some time.

— **Dance of Death 27—**

**Order of the Phoenix Meeting**

**Grimmauld Place, First Floor**

**December 23, 1995**

Severus Snape had just relayed the plans Lucius Malfoy had contrived to gain control of the Black estate. Everyone was shocked at the subtlety of the implementation, the boldness of the action, and the corruption within the Wizengamot that had allowed it. Minister Fudge was either a fool or he was very eager for Lucius, through Draco, to gain the Black estate. No doubt he was seeing ways to pad his own vaults.

Months ago, Lucius had quietly sponsored an amendment to the Wizengamot that seemed mild and inoffensive. However, it served to reactivate an old law where the Heir of either a Noble or a Noble and Ancient family could be challenged by another if the challenger had at least as strong a claim for inheritance. The basic terms of the challenge were set by the defending Heir, giving the defending Heir the right to choose terms that best suited their strengths. Ancient duels had many different potential methods. Ranging from the size and shape of the duelling field, to the distance between combatants. Levels of mobility, and the way the duel would commence.

But before the challenge was considered, the challenger had to prove they had a strong enough claim. Historically, the challenge would be fought to the death, but ' _Multa_ '***, or penalty of property, could requested by the 'seconds' of either side if their duellist appeared to be losing. The request for ' _Multa_ ' could be ignored, resulting in the death of the losing party. Alternately, the ' _Multa_ ' could be accepted and negotiations would begin. Standard terms were for most of the losing party's wealth. It was a very risky strategy that could backfire terribly on the challenger.

On the other hand, if the defending Heir simply refused the challenge and walked away, he could keep a fourth of the holdings and wealth that would have been his. The Lordship would be granted to the challenger with no animosity or reprisals permitted. Many wealthier Heirs were more than satisfied with this. Frequently, the challenges were welcomed and even encouraged as a way for an older sibling to step down and pursue a life they preferred. This was frequently done in collaboration with a younger sibling or cousin. It was a 'bailout clause' for under-aged Heirs who preferred a life without the burdens of leadership.

When the law was originally active, there were other options the defending Heir could exercise. If the family had a champion, the Heir could name the champion to fight on their behalf. If the current Lord were still alive and was passing the Lordship down voluntarily, he could simply deny the challenge on behalf of his Heir. Unfortunately, the House of Black's champion **was** Harry. The Lord, Sirius Black, was no longer alive to reject the challenge on behalf of Harry, his designated Heir.

The whole set up was, unfortunately, a perfect fit for the scenario Harry was now in. Harry was a weakened Heir without a Lord or a champion. Draco filled the role of a challenger with a stronger claim on the Lordship. At Lucius' direction, Draco would make a challenge for the Black Lordship before the will reading. Given Harry's inability to use magic, there was little doubt what the outcome would be.

Alastor Moody grimaced and said, "Maybe Potter can take him." Harry was tough, but without his magic…

Severus scoffed. "Draco Malfoy may not have been a match for Potter before his injuries, but he's still one of the most dangerous fifth years I've ever seen. And Potter is, for all intents and purposes, a squib."

Minerva McGonagall spoke up, "Albus, something must be done… we can't let them get their hands on the Black fortune. If they did, I shudder to think of what they could do with it."

Albus Dumbledore felt so very tired. How had he missed that damn amendment? The answer was simple, he was distracted. Trying to do too many jobs and not doing a particularly good job at any. At a cursory look, the amendment had been innocent enough. The reactivation of the old law was the fine print. And it was submitted through third parties while Lucius and his supporters submitted other objectionable proposals that were less subtle and far more obvious in their intent. The other proposals were just Red Herrings, meant to distract from the true prize. Lucius Malfoy may be many things, but politically inept, he was not.

Shaking his head, Albus asked, "What would you have me do, Minerva? I'm afraid my influence only extends so far…" he paused to think of any other way… no. There wasn't one. "The best we can do is delay the will reading."

Bill couldn't think of another way either. "Harry won't want to walk away, Albus. You know it and so do I. To him, this is more than pride or money, it's Sirius' final wishes."

Albus hadn't considered Harry's reaction, "Then he must be convinced."

Remus snarled, "Lucius Malfoy will **_force_** the reading… he's holding all the cards! Fudge only sees Pound signs where the Black fortune exists." Sometimes, Remus' wolf was closer to the surface than even he was aware.

Albus sadly sighed. "Attendance, is where the law is nebulous. If Harry is not present at the reading of the will, the Title cannot change hands. However, Draco's challenge would be evaluated, and he would likely be granted three quarters of the Black estate, but not the _title_ of 'Lord Black'. He will have to meet Harry in combat for the title to change hands, which Harry can avoid until he is of age. No, Remus. I'm sorry, but Harry will have to settle for one fourth of his inheritance. However, for the moment at least, he will keep his title as Heir Black and most of the physical properties. I'm sorry, but that's the best we can hope for."

Arthur groaned and shook his head, "You can't take this away from the lad. He needs to hear the will… for closure. There must be some way…" Arthur knew he was speaking from the heart, not the head.

Albus sadly shook his own head, "No Arthur, I'm afraid not. It's simply too dangerous. Sirius would not have wanted Harry to risk his life like this." Pausing a moment, he added, "Should he accept the challenge and lose, Draco would be the next Lord Black. He would have full access to the Black Grimoire and several extremely dangerous artefacts. In addition, the Potter assets would have to be offered in 'Multa'***. While the Potter fortune is not as great as the Black fortune, it does contain an impressive amount of ancient tomes and rare arcana which we would not want in the hands of the enemy."

Minerva McGonagall suddenly gasped, "My word! We've been so focused on the wealth; I hadn't even considered the arcane knowledge and family magic." The Black family had some very ancient and very dark tomes.

Tonks looked pensive, then added, "Sirius reinstated us to the House of Black. If Draco becomes the Lord… Lucius will have some level of control over us."

Obviously, no one had considered that either.

Albus looked twice as upset now. "I am terribly sorry, Nymphadora. But if Harry attends the will reading, you and your parents will have to renounce your membership in the House of Black. So, you see, Harry must be kept away."

The rest of the meeting was focused on how to block the Death Eaters from expanding their influence once their wealth had been bolstered with the Black Estate. It was not a very cheerful meeting.

— **Dance of Death 27—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**December 24th, 1995**

Bill, Arthur, Remus, and Andromeda walked out of the Dursley residence. They had explained to Harry the need to stay home during the reading of Sirius' will. At first, Harry had argued extensively, but it was all for naught. It seemed to be a waste of time; their minds were made up.

Harry eventually gave in. The deck was stacked just a little too much against him. In the end, he agreed to stay home and not attend the will reading on the condition that Bill attended the reading and come to Privet Drive **immediately** after to fill him in.

_Misdirection…_

Bill had originally offered to stay with Harry, but Harry declined. He insisted on having someone at the reading he could trust to watch Dumbledore. Someone who knew his tricks. Harry also reminded them that the reading was on Boxing Day and he wanted to have a quiet day with the Dursley's. No school, no drama, and only Bill as a visitor.

Andromeda seemed a little hurt that she wasn't included, but Harry could live with that. She'd be shocked when he suddenly showed up at the reading. This way he could say he hadn't lied to her. Well, not badly anyway. Alright, he was lying to everyone. Well, so be it. There was no way he would miss this. Especially after his little talk with Lady Malfoy. He'd have to enlist Dudley, but he knew the boy was up for it.

Harry sat down and sipped his lemonade. He had come close to telling Bill about his conversation with Narcissa more than once. He just wasn't sure he should. Narcissa was an extended member of House Black and she had formally requested his help. That made it a Black Family discussion. As much as he cared about Bill, he was not a part of the Black Family. While he could discuss it with Andromeda… he knew she'd think the worst. Narcissa had not been kind when Andromeda had left the family to marry Ted.

Harry saw this as a test of his leadership. His first trial as Lord Black. He owed it to Sirius to work this out. This was his problem to solve. Bill wasn't Lord Black, and neither was Andromeda. Albus Dumbledore sure as hell wasn't. To make matters more confusing, Harry had discussed it with his parents in his dreamscape and they were of dramatically differing opinions.

His mum thought it was too risky. Take the money and run, she had advised. She liked the idea of Harry moving to the mainland… Just until he was recovered enough to stand on his own. Magically speaking, that is. She did not trust Narcissa and even remembered her from school. Narcissa was a few years ahead of her and had been a young leader in Slytherin. To her credit, she had never acted out the way the Death Eater 'wannabes' had. She had also been kind to Severus, despite his being a half-blood. However, to Muggle-born students, she was quite the pureblood snob.

Kindness to Snape didn't win Narcissa any points with Harry, but he got the point. Narcissa Malfoy was a stuck-up bitch, but she was no Death Eater.

His dad disagreed with his mum. He understood the importance of meeting the challenge from a pureblood's perspective. He explained that Harry had a fully functional spell matrix ready for use and he was certain Harry could win the duel. He had a whole strategy prepared and Harry thought it was brilliant. Yes, it was dangerous and daring, but brilliant. James was one of the top strategists in the Order of the Phoenix during the first war, and it showed in his approach. Harry knew this was what Sirius would do. It was what his dad would do. It was even what his mum would do if it had only been her own safety on the line.

Harry knew he was going to fight. There was no way he was going to run from Draco Malfoy… Especially after what he had learned from Ragnok. He'd be daring and he'd risk it all… and he would **win**. Once he emerged triumphant, he would prove he was a worthy successor to Sirius, the next Lord Black. To his father's title as well, Lord Potter. But to pull this off, he'd have to trick everyone he cared about.

Ironically, it was partially for Draco and Narcissa's safety that he was fighting. As Lord Black, he could either protect them or cast them out. He knew what fate she would have of he cast her out… Draco's too. He couldn't do that. Not after seeing the fear in her eye. Hearing her voice quiver… No. What kind of person would he be if he did that? But he'd help her on _his terms_. Not Bills, Not Andromeda's, certainly not Dumbledore's. Why?

Because **that's what heroes do.**

As for Narcissa, well, he wouldn't just trust her on good faith. After all, she was the wife of a Death Eater. The mother of his hated arch-rival and school nemesis. And Draco was part of the package. Harry had already begun taking steps to ensure compliance from them both. Just like Arcturus had with the other traditionalist families. One thing was for sure, Ragnok would get his little show. Harry knew if he couldn't deal with this family matter, he didn't deserve to become Lord Black or Lord Potter. He needed to do this for Sirius.

The only thing that he found peculiar, was that when Narcissa asked for help, he hadn't felt a 'pull' on his magic. His father seemed to think he should have felt _something_ … Forcing his attention. Compelling him to action. To provide help and safety or to cast her out. Was it because his magic was still healing or was it something else? Maybe it was because he hadn't yet proven himself. That would change soon enough.

— **Dance of Death 27—**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**December 26th, 1995**

**8:30 AM**

Christmas had been a quiet affair. The Dursley's kept things upbeat and Harry tried not to bring them down. He was trying not to be a drag. He finished the adjustments on his motorcycle, it was something he had built with the Sirius. He had promised to help Dudley build the larger boy's bike after Christmas. They'd do it together.

Harry was in no mood to shop and just wanted Christmas to come and go so he could take care of business at the will reading. On Ragnok's suggestion, he had hired a personal shopper, through Gringotts, to buy most of his wizarding gifts. Yes, Ragnok was all sweetness and sunshine after hearing Harry's plans. Bastard.

But he had steered Harry right on the personal shopper. All Harry had to do, was provide a list of names with their hobbies and interests. Ten galleons each was what he budgeted. With a ten percent adjustment up or down. Harry considered that with a five pound to the galleon exchange rate, that would be about… fifty pounds per person****.

From his closest friends, he mostly received sweets and home baked treats. Perfect. He bought a few personal items in addition to the ten galleons he had authorised for the people closest to him, like the Dursley's, Bill, Ginny, Fleur, Hermione, Luna, Katie, and Colin. The Dursleys had given him a leather motorcycle jacket and a cool pair of boots. Also socks and underwear. He had to admit, the jacket and boots were cool.

He and Dudley had both gotten a pair of motorcycle helmets in anticipation of future rides together. Dudley's had 'Big-D' on the back and Harry's had 'Whiplash' on it. Seemed odd to give someone a protective helmet with the name of an injury you normally get in a vehicular accident, but it was still cool.

Bill and Fleur gave him duelling robes that were extremely well made. A gift Fleur had picked out. All silk and easy to move in. No, not just silk. Acromantula silk… nice. He'd wear it to Hogwarts when he returned for his mid-year review and his OWLs.

Now it was eight thirty AM on Boxing Day and everyone was asleep. Harry wrote out a note saying he and Dudley were taking the motorcycle out for a quick ride. Sure, _he_ was too young, but Dudley was almost sixteen. That made it almost legal for him to drive a moped. A motorcycle is practically a moped. Dudley had also driven a friend's motorcycle before at Smeltings. Harry's motorcycle had a full tank and Harry was sure it would get them to London and back. After all, Sirius had helped him build it. It was fitting really.

Harry had considered calling a taxi, but it was Boxing Day… He had no idea if taxi services even operated on Boxing Day. No, this was a better plan. If Dudley didn't speed or crash, they'd be at the Leaky Cauldron with time to spare. Given the helmets, no one would even recognise them until they took them off and entered the pub.

First, Harry would use his cloak to get out of his house without anyone noticing. He'd then wait a quarter mile up the road at the nearest service station. Dudley would then take Harry's recently re-built and restored motorcycle and pick him up. After that, there'd be nothing but the road and the sky ahead of them. Thankfully, it wasn't raining or snowing. The plan was rock solid, and all worked out. Honestly, what could go wrong?

— **DoD—**

Mundungus Fletcher was looking forward to his shift ending. It was Boxing Day and he had some 'boxing' of his own to do. Sirius had opened the wards on the first floor of Grimmauld place for the Order of the Phoenix to use and Mundungus was a member with full access. He knew he could get into Grimmauld Place and lift a few choice items today. Mundungus reflected that he had avoided the place for a week now, but he was certain no one would be in that old house for the rest of the day. No… It was Boxing Day, and everyone would either be out and about or home with family. If anyone caught him, he would just say he left something behind at the last meeting. Which was technically true. He left his expanding bag behind.

Watching Harry's home had been boring. He saw the older boy go for a motorcycle ride, but Harry was apparently sleeping in. And there was no mistaking the two boys. No sir, not a chance. One huge and the other small and skinny. Oh, well. His shift would end at two in the afternoon. He was looking forward to 'Boxing' Day.

With visions of the profit he would make selling off choice items from Grimmauld Place, Mundungus smiled warmly. Sirius wouldn't need any of it anymore. Better he should profit than the Malfoy's get their hands on any of it… In a way, he was doing everyone a favour… He especially looked forward to collecting that silver tea set.

Mundungus _loved_ Boxing Day…

— **Dance of Death 27—**

***These are Amateur boxing weight classes, not professional. Harry falls in the 'junior' category for 15-16-year olds.**

****Sirius never made public his casting out of Narcissa Malfoy and her progeny from House Black. Narcissa knew if it were made public, Voldemort would exact the horrible punishments he had threatened Lucius with.**

*****Multa – Latin for Fine. Penalty. Penalty involving property. (Online-Latin-dictionary)**

******Harry was wrong. The exchange rate is closer to 30-40 pounds to the galleon. It fluctuated with the price of gold. This means his gifts were around 350 pounds in value. His confusion on the currency exchange is covered in Casting Shadows. I never liked the 1 galleon for every five pounds. By that conversion, a magic wand, something only a true master could craft and was critical to casting and using magic cost only seven galleons. Thirty-five pounds. And that was from a master enchanter and genius of wand lore like Ollivander. Also, the Weasleys could barely afford wands for their kids and frequently just supplied hand-me-down wands… With my conversion of 30-40 pounds to the galleon, I'm saying a wand costs about 245 pounds. Even this seems a little cheap, given the importance and skill of craftsmanship required. But I'll discuss this in more depth in a future 'world building' section. In my stories, wands come with strings attached.**

**Originally, I planned to make the funeral and reception an explosive affair. Harry would vent a bit and call out the hypocrites. But, it's a funeral and a reception after a funeral. That just doesn't fit. I remember when my own grandfather died. My grandmother had people come by that she truly despised, but she was** **_painfully_ ** **polite. So, the funeral and reception are just steppingstones in the story and show how much Harry had grown in the past year. FWIW, year six will be Harry's rebellious year. So, if that's what you want to see, it's coming.**

**Harry is relying more on the insight the incarnations of his parents give him. He values Bill and Andromeda, but he feels the need to stand on his own and do right by Sirius. After the 'Anger' step in grief, there's 'Negotiation'. If he fulfils his role as Lord Black, he will have made Sirius proud… wherever he is. Maybe that will make everything better… Yep. He's working through the steps. He's also 15 and beginning to feel an independent streak emerge.**

**For those of you who don't know, 'Boxing Day' was is the day after Christmas. Originally it was the day when Lords and Aristocrats distributed 'Christmas Boxes' to their household servants or employees. These boxes contained small gifts or money – a Christmas bonus. Frequently, these employees had to work on Christmas, so they were rewarded the day after Christmas. Now days, it is just a day for watching sports, shopping, and visiting friends.**


	28. Chapter 28

— **Dance of Death 28—**

**We left off with Narcissa desperate to escape the horrible situation her family now found itself in. With Voldemort wandering about Malfoy Manor, the Malfoys were being routinely terrorised within their own home. Not only was Voldemort furious that Lucius lost his first Horcrux – the diary, but he lusts after the Black family wealth and was angry Lucius has not yet acquired it. The lack of funds was slowing down his own plans. To give the Malfoys an incentive, he had threatened to give Narcissa and Draco to Greyback for punishment if Lucius did not manage to acquire the Black family wealth by the New Year.**

**In desperation she reached out to Harry, hoping he could help her. If he would avoid the will reading, no one would find out she and Draco were no longer part of the Black Family. Draco could claim a large portion of the Black estate in forfeiture, but Harry would remain the Heir. As the Heir, he could open properties for Narcissa and Draco to hide out.**

**Harry was going through the seven stages of guilt and was now between Anger and Bargaining. Angry at the loss but feeling like this is a test to make Sirius proud. He had been asked by all his mentors and protectors to avoid the Will reading for his own safety, but he secretly sneaked out with Dudley and planned a late arrival. Why, because he felt certain it would be what Sirius would have wanted him to do. To make the memory of his godfather proud. To somehow balance the scales and find peace.**

**So here we are. Harry and Dudley riding a re-built motorcycle to London. Planning to surprise everyone with a late arrival. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.**

**Special thanks to this story's Beta reader, 'Just William' for your help and excellent feedback.**

**—**

" **Luck Favors the Daring."**

_~Athenian Soldier and Historian Thucydides_

**The Leaky Cauldron Entrance to Diagon Alley**

**December 26, 1995**

**11:15 AM**

The ride had been less than fun. Dudley wasn't as good a rider as he had claimed, but he got the hang of it after a few frightening moments. The maiden voyage of ' _Padfoot's Bite'_ ended with two tired teens arriving safely in London. Dudley thought _'Padfoot's Bite'_ was a weird name, but Harry didn't feel up to explaining it. In the end, they arrived, and each grabbed a little food at a nearby fast food restaurant. Most places were closed, but this one was still serving. Harry was careful not to drip any grease or ketchup on his motorcycle jacket. Dudley had no such cares.

They killed time and Harry bought a couple of caps with their favorite football teams on them. It covered up his wild hair and scar, making it hard to recognise him. At five after eleven, they began their walk towards the Leaky Cauldron. Dudley had trouble focusing on it, but Harry got him through the wards. The main dining area was only about half full, Harry just pulled down his cap and walked straight through with Dudley in tow. When he was with Dudley, the larger boy got most of the attention. Kind of like when a pony walks beside a rhino… He heard the whispers from the bar. He had seen the stares and the averted eyes. At the entrance to Diagon Alley, he had to ask a patron to open the gate. He should have brought one of his parent's wands. Dudley was amazed as the stones slowly opened and formed a gateway into the alley.

Harry stepped through the entrance way from the Leaky Cauldron and paused to look out at the groups of wizards and witches in the Alley. His thoughts held little kindness after all he had been through in the last year. To him, they were all just ignorant and uncaring people he had to walk through to get to his destination. In the alley, on the ground, was a print from last week's prophet. He stooped to pick it up and saw a familiar title – ' _The Boy Who Lies - Looking for More Attention'_ , by Rita Skeeter. Looking at the slanderous paper, his eyes teared up and threatened to overflow. His sudden emotion was not from the headline he was looking at, but from the ones he knew were out now - _'Murder at the Ministry', Sirius Black, killed'_ , ' _Who will be the next Lord Black?'_ Dudley came over and put his hand on his shoulder. "Don't let them get to you, Harry."

Dudley's hand was huge and thick. He had grown even broader in the four months at Smelting's. He was likely hitting the weight room with a vengeance. Whatever they were feeding him was really packing on the muscle. He was far more intimidating physically than either Crabbe or Goyle. It was nice to have someone in his corner today. Not many others will be happy to see him, that's for sure.

Looking around at Diagon Alley, Harry was saddened and disappointed at how it made him feel. It seemed like just yesterday he was seeing it for the first time with Hagrid. Hard to believe it had been nearly five years. Five years ago, Diagon Alley was an amazing place full of amazing people and he just couldn't get enough. He saw that the wizarding world was his escape from the mundane and his ticket to happiness and acceptance. How wrong he was. Now, on one of the saddest days he could remember, all he wanted to do was get it over with. He began his awfully long walk.

'In and Out. Keep it simple. Make it easy' He told himself. Dudley was there primarily for emotional support – still hard to believe that one. The Order did not want Harry to come, but in the end, Harry decided to just show up. Nothing they could do once he was inside Gringotts. In all fairness, Dumbledore and his cronies thought they were doing the right thing, but they always did. And it never seemed to work out in Harry's favour.

As the two of them walked down the alley, Dudley couldn't stop gawking at the crooked buildings. He was equally amazed and horrified. "Hey Harry, why are all the buildings kind of… crooked looking? Don't wizards have any levels or tape measurers? A Plumb bob would really make a difference in these folk's construction techniques." Dudley then chuckled and said, "Seriously man, no way these would pass inspection."

Dudley had spent much of last year working weekends in construction to earn a few extra pounds. Harry had to admit, he sounded like he was good at it. And he was strong enough to carry his weight on a construction site.

He would _**love**_ to get Dudley's reaction to the Burrow. Could he work that out somehow? Harry just smiled. "I don't know Big-D, I guess they're held up by Magic. Maybe you can get a job straightening the columns for them." Harry couldn't resist needling the big teen a little – force of habit. Dudley snickered a little. But to Harry's amusement, he was considering it.

With a shrug, Dudley just said, "Maybe… I don't know. Seems like no one really cares if their buildings looks like they're about to fall down."

Harry had to hand it to Dudley, he seemed much calmer than in the past. Whoever that youth minister was, he had really helped his cousin. When he wasn't looking at the buildings, he was watching all the people walking around with animals and pointy hats, and other odd ball things that Harry just accepted after 5 years of exposure to the Magical world.

Dudley could be amusing and being with him was a welcome distraction for Harry from what was to come. Glancing down the alley, Harry saw a clock that told him they were about 15 minutes late. Perfect. No one would expect him to arrive this late to the reading. Harry considered the attendees. He liked knowing who would and would not be there. No doubt there would be a few party crashers, but that's to be expected.

The list as Bill had told him:

The Tonks family was invited. Sirius had re-instated them into the family and they were officially a part of House of Black. Harry liked them all. Andromeda had stressed the danger if Harry attended and the need to let her handle things… But Harry knew the best she and Ted could do without his presence was to freeze the will and prevent the reading until he was of age. Even that was dicey with the Malfoy family petitioning for the reading and swearing to have a better claim. Something in that old law being reactivated. Yeah, this reading was happening… Harry had no interest in seeing Sirius' last wishes destroyed by Lucius Malfoy and his Death Eater friends.

Professor McGonagall would be there. She irritated Harry to no end. He saw her as a burnt-out teacher who continuously managed to let him down. Harry recalled how he went from disliking the woman to outright despising her. The change came once he found out she was his father's godmother. That still felt like an enormous betrayal. Maybe she was a prodigy when it came to transfiguration, but she really should step down as head of Gryffindor house. If she couldn't stand up to Snape and Dumbledore, then she wasn't able to do her job looking after 'her lions'. Maybe he would get an opportunity to tell her that. She deserved a bit of pain for what she allowed him to go through last year. Horcrux or not, she made her decisions and he paid for them.

Luna and her dad would be there, that was unexpected but nice. Harry liked the quirky girl. She had also been treated poorly by her classmates and they bonded a bit over that last year. He still had a subscription to the Quibbler. Multiple subscriptions in fact, as the Dursleys thought it was the funniest newspaper they've ever read. The revelation that one of the cartoons featured Harry and Hedwig made it even more amusing.

Dumbledore would be there, but that was expected. He always had his bent-up nose in everyone's business. His decisions never seemed to work out well for Harry. He was always so focused on the big picture; he missed the detail in the picture itself. He was always trying to predict what would happen four moves out, but he never realised how much was happening inside the first couple of moves.

Amelia Bones would be there, but Harry had no idea why. For some reason, Sirius invited the head of the Bones family to his will reading. Harry vaguely recalled her stopping by with Susan in tow for the funeral reception. But there were so many purebloods there, she was just one of the many. Knowing Sirius, there was a plan. What his reason for inviting her was… well, they'd all find out soon enough.

The Weasley's would be there. Most of them had been named for the reading. His feelings for that family varied with the members. It ranged from 'very close' to 'barely tolerable'. Harry knew Bill would be furious when he made his surprise entrance, but Bill would just have to accept it. No way would Harry miss this. Especially after his little 'chat' with Narcissa. And Ragnok.

Remus would be there, poor guy. Hopefully, Sirius would make his life a little smoother. Remus had had a miserable existence and could use a little help. He refused the offers of assistance when Sirius was alive, but how could he refuse Sirius' last wishes?

Hermione would also be there. Sirius owed her for saving his bacon in their third year, so he probably put something in his will for her. Life Debt and all that. She deserved it. Harry felt a bit guilty here. Just like with Bill and Remus, he had deceived her about his attendance. She would be mad. Well, it's high time they all learned that Harry Potter was his own man.

The Malfoy's would absolutely be present. That was what he was most looking forward to. It was time those arrogant bastards got their comeuppance. Well, a taste of it, anyway. Once Voldemort was destroyed, Harry planned to do everything he could to ensure there would be no 'imperious defence' this time around.

Taking a deep breath, he resigned himself to holding his head up and walking through the alley to Gringotts. Harry was dressed in rebellious muggle-wear. A black pair of jeans, black motorcycle boots, a Chelsea Football Club tee-shirt, his new motorcycle jacket, and a simple cap pulled down over his black hair and scar. He was dressed for trouble. He was dressed for a fight. Dudley was just wearing the exact same clothes he wore pretty much every day. Loose jeans, a hooded sweatshirt, and a cap.

They walked up to the entrance of the bank and Harry stopped. "Hold up a moment Big-D, let me tell you a little about what you're gonna see. First, the bank is run by Goblins". A good enough place to start Harry decided. "They have a long-standing oath and agreement to handle and manage the Wizarding Britain's business matters, legal matters, and money. It goes back to before the Norman invasion."

Dudley shakes his head "Goblins, Harry? Like, in Lord of the Rings? Blimey, what do they look like?"

Harry proceeds "OK, well, the first thing you need to know is that they are some bad dudes. They never forget an offence – so don't anger them. If you're not sure what to say, just look like you're thinking of something and say nothing. They'll probably get bored and just ignore you. They're also crafty. Cunning even, so don't underestimate them." Now on to the good stuff "OK – now let me explain what they look like. They have wide mouths full of pointy teeth – kind of like a shark, only smaller. Their fingers have claws. They stand about 4 feet tall… They're short, but vicious." Dudley looked ready to crawl out of her skin at this point. "They dress well. Three-piece suits and all. Silk neck ties, cufflinks, you know, kind of like Uncle Vernon when he has a big meeting and wants to impress someone…"

Seeing Dudley just staring with his mouth slightly open, Harry decided to keep it simple. "You know what, you'll be fine. Just follow me."

As they entered Gringotts, Dudley couldn't resist asking "Are those _fancy pants_ Malfoys gonna be here, Harry?" He popped his knuckles as he said it. Harry realised that this may be a problem. Well, a fun kind of problem.

"Well, yeah. They hated him, but they're related to him. Lady Malfoy is a cousin of Sirius." He didn't tell Dudley about his talk with Narcissa. He'd find out soon enough. They all would.

"Alright, let's get this over with." They entered the bank and went to stand in the queue for appointments. Once they reached the front, Harry introduced himself and asked for admittance to the will reading. Looking over his shoulder, Harry could see that Dudley was looking all around in amazement. The teller left and returned shortly, he bid them follow and took them back to a waiting room.

Once in the waiting room, the teller instructed them on the rules. "The will reading is down the steps and in conference room 12. For the duration of the reading, no magic will be tolerated. The will has already been reviewed and approved by the Gringotts." Finally, he adds "Everything is in order. Anyone who draws a wand, or a weapon will be dealt with **most** harshly. Do you accept the rules of this meeting?"

Harry looked the goblin in the eye and said, "I do." Dudley did the same.

The ban on magic calmed Harry down as it put everyone on equal footing. Dudley, on the other hand, did not even seem to be considering it. They were led down the stairs and walked down a short hallway to conference room 12. As they entered, Harry looked around and saw so many faces he recognised. There were a few surprises and a few he didn't know at all.

The closest to him were the Malfoys. Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco. Lucius was talking to Cornelius Fudge… What was that bastard doing here? And who was that 'toad looking' woman beside him. They had no business here. Draco looked awful. Harry had never seen him looking so… conflicted. His hand appeared to be trembling slightly. He looked bad at the funeral, but this was even worse. Lucius also looked terrible. Quite different from his normally smooth self. He was disheveled and a bit haggard. Was he wearing an eyepatch? Narcissa saw him and froze in shock. More like in terror. There were also a pair of older men standing close. They looked like lawyers. Of course, they were.

Looking away, Harry noticed the Weasley family staring at him in surprise and shuffling about, preparing to come over and say hello. Yeah, they were surprised. Fleur was there with Bill… they made a good-looking couple. A good looking and _incredibly surprised_ couple. Hermione also did a double take. She was making the same face everyone else was. Just staring like he was the last person she expected to see. Probably because he was. She gave a little wave, but it was halfhearted as she still looked shocked. Harry paused, giving her a very slight nod of the head. He then turned and looked at Dumbledore. The old man was in a state of near panic and was starting to move toward him. Yep – he had no idea Harry would be there.

Before the Weasley's or Dumbledore could take three steps, Lucius Malfoy was right there in his face. Up close, he looked even worse. There was a nasty edge to the normally smooth demeanor the man usually presented. What was up with the eye patch? He was trembling the same as Draco… Cruciatus exposure? Then he started talking, his breath was foul and right in Harry's face.

Lucius' voice was full of contempt. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? Just when I thought you wouldn't show. How nice to see you, Potter." Looking Harry over from top to bottom, he added with a smirk, "You dress like some kind of muggle clown and bring the circus with you." He looked directly at Dudley when he said the word _circus_. Oh, boy.

Harry turned and prepared to walk away. Turning away without addressing the man was an insult, but he'd had enough from the git. Walk away, he told himself. There's no point in starting a fight just yet. That would come later. As he turned, he made eye contact with Ragnok and noted that the Director was watching intensely. Grinning ear to ear… He had obviously stalled the reading and was now ready for the 'fun' to start. Harry just wanted to get the challenge and the will reading over with.

As Harry began to step away, Lucius hooked his walking stick handle on Harry's shoulder. Its handle had the face of a snake carved into it and a sharp hook. A _sharp_ hook, right where the fangs came together. Harry was sure it broke the skin, it made him feel a little like a fish on a hook. Lucius proceeded to spin him around pin him to the wall. Harry felt blood start to trickle out of his shoulder and stain his previously white t-shirt. Lucius whispered with pure malice "How _dare_ you turn you back on me you _filthy_ half-blood _squib_. I should…"

Lucius' walking stick/cane was quickly pulled from his grasp and snapped over Dudley's knee. Harry noted with some satisfaction that Dudley more than likely broke his wand as well, since Lucius usually hid it in his cane. Lucius sneered and started to say something but didn't get far.

Lord Malfoy suddenly heard a huge explosion, and everything went white. Then another explosion occurred almost immediately after and the world began spinning and going dark.

What everyone else saw was two punches from Dudley Dursley. One to the center of Lucius' face, the other to his side of his jaw. The nose was flattened, and the jaw was broken. From the sound of the impact, it was broken in more than one place. Lucius' cheek appeared to have collapsed as well. Damn, Dudley could be scary when he wanted to be.

Harry saw everyone pulling out their wands as Ragnok sounded an alarm. Time seemed to slow down, and Harry heard Bill say " _ **Oh, Shite!**_ "

At this point, all hell broke loose. Goblins with weapons rushing into the room… Narcissa trying to cover Draco, who was stupid enough to draw a wand... Bill waving his arms about while frantically telling everyone to put their wands away… Dumbledore setting up some kind of circular sphere of protection… The minister blustering about and shaking his finger… The Lovegood's were jotting down notes… Pure chaos.

Somewhere out in the vast ether, beyond space and time, Harry knew that Sirius Black just _**had**_ to be rolling with laughter. Harry couldn't help but think "In and out, keep it simple". When do things ever go as planned?

— **Dance of Death 28—**

**Gringotts**

**Conference Room #12**

It took a good thirty minutes for everyone to calm down. Lucius was had been transported to St. Mungo's. Andromeda had looked him over and said he had severe facial fracturing and a badly broken jaw. She refused to treat the man, saying he needed specialist care. Fudge threw a fit and threatened to have Dudley brought up on assault charges, but Harry held up Lucius' cane and pointed out that it held a small hypodermic implant.

Originally, Harry just wanted to know if Lucius' wand was broken, but there was no wand present. Just the modified handle designed to extract blood. What was most frightening was that he had managed to collect a small sample of Harry's blood. Narcissa hadn't mentioned this… but then, she didn't expect him to be there.

The Malfoy lawyers insisted on proper procedure and took a moment to inspect the device. They didn't look happy.

Andromeda pulled her wand and used a spell Harry didn't recognise to render the blood 'inert'. She then handed it to Amelia Bones. "Lady Bones, I'd like to admit this into your care as evidence and press charges against Lucius Malfoy. The penalty for taking blood from the Heir of an Ancient and Most Noble house is five years in Azkaban if I'm not mistaken."

Harry looked at Andromeda with respect. Wow. Then, a slender man in his fifties approached Harry.

The man was polished and confident. "Mr. Potter, my name is Leonard Felder. You requested representation at this hearing."

Harry smiled. "Yes sir. Thank you for attending on Boxing Day."

The Black family had a long-standing contract with an international law firm that specialised in the representation of prominent and somewhat dangerous families. They were known to be rather vicious. Sirius once shared that Arcturus believed them to have ties to some old family that liked to keep their eyes on the major players. They were old, very manipulative, and possibly vampires. Not a group to cross in a court room.

The man smiled, but it was cold as ice. "I'm glad you reached out to us, Mr. Potter. We've been looking forward to making your acquaintance." That sent a small shiver down Harry's spine.

Harry simple responded with, "Thank you, sir." What else could he say?

Mr. Felder turned to Fudge and Bones, "Minister Fudge, Director Bones, please see to it that Lord Malfoy is prosecuted." It was phrased as a request, but it was a threat.

The toad like lady cleared her throat, "Hem hem…" The sound was extremely annoying. Once no one was talking, she said, "The Ministry will take whatever action it deems appropriate." Fudge looked ready to crawl out of his skin.

Mr. Felder calmly said, "As long as it's a full investigation, followed by a prosecution, we will have no issues. Otherwise, legal action will be taken. Against you." He made it painfully clear that he meant the woman herself.

Before she could say anything else, Fudge cut her off, "Of course, Mr. Felder. We will look into this." Damn he seemed nervous. Harry felt certain this Felder guy had something on him.

Draco looked furious. Narcissa seemed lost in thought. Andromeda looked… impressed. Impressed, but nervous.

Eventually they were all seated. Harry sat between Andromeda and Dudley. Ginny was behind him and he made a point to look back at her with and give her a smile. He avoided looking at Bill. He knew how angry his mentor probably was. Andromeda was too, but she'd hold back until after the reading.

Director Ragnok then said, "Is there anyone who now objects to the reading of the will?" Harry rolled his eyes. Ragnok already knew what was coming. The evil little creature. He just wanted to see blood spilt. Wizard blood.

Draco Malfoy stood up. "I object to this reading. Mr. Potter does _not_ have a strong enough claim on the house to be the Heir. My claim is stronger. My mother is a Black by birth, while the current Heir's only connection to the family is through a blood adoption of his father. I formally wish to make a challenge."

Harry was a little stunned. Blood adoption? So, Charlus and Dorea Potter née Black weren't his biological Grandparents? He looked at Andromeda and she looked down. No one had told him this… Looking over at Draco and his mother, Draco was resolute and Narcissa looked about to break into tears. Something else was going on here.

Ragnok brought forth the Black Family Ritual Bowl and set it upon the marble table. He handed Draco a small knife. Ragnok looked at Harry and said, "Your Heir ring, please. The Black Family ring."

Harry handed him the ring and it was placed in the bowl. Draco looked over at him briefly. He looked determined, but also desperate. He knew what his fate would be if this failed. At least he didn't look smug. Draco sliced open his hand and bled into the bowl. The blood pooled into the middle where Harry's ring was. Harry waited for his ring to dissolve as Draco clearly had a stronger tie to the family.

Surprisingly, Draco's blood boiled away into a foul-smelling smoke. Ragnok reached in and picked up Harry's ring. He looked angry. Royally pissed off. When he looked at Harry, his eyes were full of irritation and disappointment. There would be no duel. Draco's blood was rejected. He handed Harry his ring back.

Draco watched stunned. He then said, "No! This can't be! He's not even really a Black! James Potter was only blood adopted when his parents were killed… Potter is _not_ a Black!" He was ranting and raving like a terrified child. One of the Malfoy lawyers took Draco aside and began whispering. He was obviously trying to calm Draco down. Narcissa continued to sit quietly. Considering her next move carefully.

Mr. Felder started laughing. It was a cruel and malicious laugh that Harry found very disturbing. Disturbing, but not unwelcome. Harry had won. He had beaten the odds and now Sirius' will would be read. He had made his god-father proud.

Suddenly, everyone was murmuring. The sound of the whispers and murmurs grew. No one had expected this. Harry just smiled and leaned back in his chair. He placed his hands behind his head. Life was good!

Dudley leaned over and asked, "What just happened?"

Harry smiled at his huge cousin and shrugged, saying, "Winner take all and I just won!"

Suddenly, Draco stepped forward again, one of his Lawyers at his side. "I demand an honour duel. I have numerous grievances against Heir Potter, and I demand satisfaction." This was a surprise. Ragnok suddenly took interest again. His smile slowly returning.

Harry straightened up, "What the Hell, Malfoy? _You_ have grievances? Are you kidding me?" In what world could Draco Malfoy possibly be the wronged party here?

Draco continued, "My list of grievances includes the following: When we first met, I publicly extended my hand and offered my friendship and support. Not only did he rudely decline, but he refused to shake my hand." Harry now knew what a huge insult this was, but at the time Draco was being rude to his first and only friend.

The list continued from there. All were social gaffs that Harry had made out of ignorance. Everything from failing to stand when Draco approached him to the failure to observe proper dueling form. In his first two years, Harry didn't even know there was a proper way to duel, he just treated it like a fight. The list of grievances just kept coming.

When Draco finally wrapped up his long list, Harry realised what this was. A desperate attempt to save his own skin. Harry then saw Draco glance at his mother. No, it was far more than _his own skin_ he was worried about. Now it was crystal clear. He was _scared for his mum_.

Mr. Felder spoke up, "I need a moment to confer with my client."

Harry's Lawyer took him aside. Andromeda and Ted joined him as his magical guardians. Dudley just watched, somewhat confused.

Mr. Felder looked Harry straight in the eye. "Heir Black, giving you our support was not a unanimous decision. Many claim you are a squib and lobbied to pull our support. It's time you step up and earned the respect most of us feel you are due."

Andromeda and Ted looked at each other. Andromeda spoke up, "Hadrian has no magic. How can he possibly win a duel…?"

Harry then said, "Well, I'm healing up slowly. By this time next year, I should be fully healed." Mr. Felder seemed pleased to hear that. Clearly, he had gone out on a limb coming here today.

The lawyer then asked, "Can you beat him, Heir Black? _That's_ the question."

Harry smiled. "Hell yes, I can beat him!" Mr. Felder narrowed his eyes and smiled. Harry noted that he looked a little like a snake when he did that.

Ted looked concerned and asked, "Harry, are you sure?"

Harry just nodded.

Mr. Felder considered the situation and asked, "How much are you willing to gamble, Heir Black?" Andromeda clearly did not like that question.

This was war and Harry was reminded of a quote from the British SAS, ' _He who dares, wins_. Harry knew he had to do this for Sirius. For himself and for the war effort. He even was doing it for Draco and Narcissa… If he were a Hero, maybe Sirius' death would mean something…

"Mr. Felder, I will risk as much as we can take from them."

The next hour was a back and forth discussion on the terms of the duel. Harry was the challenged party, so he set the terms. The terms would be for as much as Draco would offer up, matched by Harry. The duel would be to the death, but with the possibility of 'Multa'*, or ransom paid for the life of the losing party.

The duel would take place in the Gringotts combat area. The duel would be witnessed by family only, along with their 'seconds', their legal representatives, plus any Goblins that Ragnok invited to watch. This was the requirement that Ragnok wanted when they had met days earlier. It sweetened the pot enough to get his aid, advice, and support. Wizard blood being spilled was a joy for goblins to watch, and he intended to invite all the department heads. Boxing Day entertainment. Muggles watch football and Goblins watch blood sports.

Draco wagered up a third of the Malfoy estate, plus Bellatrix Lestrange's vault – a vault to which Narcissa had been entrusted with the key when Bellatrix was sentenced to Azkaban. It contained a sizable bridal dowry that the Lestrange family doubled and matched to the bride according to tradition. Andromeda noted that her own dowry was given to Bellatrix when she married Ted. Over the years, Bellatrix had further increased the vault's content with valuables, jewelry, mystical tomes, and magical artefacts that she collected from families she had murdered in the service of the Dark Lord. It was an impressive addition. If Harry won, it would all be moved to the Black Family vault.

Harry noted that the wagered amount from Draco and Narcissa was primarily made up of liquid assets, not property or businesses. Lucius would have to sign off on that, and he was at St. Mungo's. But Narcissa could access the vaults… so until Lucius was healed up enough to remove her access, she was free to act and negotiate. Harry was able to meet the quantity with a signature, but he needed Andromeda to co-sign.

Andromeda's condition for co-signing was to cap any 'Multa' negotiations to a further 50% of the total amount wagered. No more was she willing to risk. In the vent of a loss, this would effectively double the amount pulled from the Black Vaults. The negotiation for Draco entering 'Multa' was more challenging as there were no more funds to be had. Harry suggested a three-year service arrangement with a guarantee of safe treatment by the Black family. This would apply to both Draco and his 'second'. Harry knew his second had to be Narcissa as there was no one else to speak on his behalf. The terms for the service would be discussed in 'Multa'. Draco grudgingly accepted. He literally had nothing more to lose. Failure would mean a fate that would be worse than death. Greyback was the alternative, for himself and his mother. But he wouldn't lose. Harry didn't even have a wand.

Andromeda looked pale and pensive. Harry assured her he could win this, but she was nervous. Her daughter had spoken about how gifted the boy was… but his magic was still mending. This was a huge risk to take, but at least he would still have the title. He would still own the majority of the Black Estate. Had he not shown up, he would have forfeited more than was now at stake…

In the end, she recognised him as the next lord Black and decided to trust him. In the back of her mind, she kept hearing the words the Black Family Lawyer had said. 'It's time you step up and earned the respect… you are due." He had to see this through. For the respect of the Black family. She signed her approval of the duel as his magical guardian. It was the hardest signature she had ever had to write.

When the parties came out of negotiation and informed the rest of the attendees, there was a mixed response. The value placed on the duel was startling. It was a massive number of galleons and it amounted to roughly thirty percent of the Black vault, excluding businesses and property. The Bellatrix Lestrange Vault made up roughly two thirds of the amount the Malfoy vault was offering up. Again, no businesses or properties. Dumbledore and the Weasley's were shocked and concerned. Remus and Hermione looked horrified. Fudge and his cronies looked incredibly pleased. Dudley just clapped his hands together and shouted, "Give him hell, Whiplash!" That got a few odd looks.

Dumbledore realised that this was less than he had feared would change hands, but it was unnecessary. Harry didn't have to accept the challenge. Yes, he would lose face and status, but no galleons would change hands. Why was the boy taking this chance? Was he really this reckless? And why was Andromeda letting him? Didn't she realise what was at stake? Glancing over at Minerva, he could see she was having similar thoughts and concerns. In the end, they would just have to solemnly accept the outcome.

Bill was both worried and angry. All that talk about not attending. About Harry making Bill promise to come straight over after the will reading. About wanting a quiet Boxing Day with Family… Sneaky little… He would have been proud if he weren't so irritated. And worried. He was one of the few who knew Harry's magic was healing, but he also knew Harry wasn't quite there yet. Harry asked him to keep it quiet, well, let's see how he gets around this. In the back of his mind, he also realized that if Harry were victorious, Voldemort would lose even more of his ability to fund the coming war. If Harry won this duel, it would cripple the Death Eaters as much as his losing would strengthen them. It would make a huge difference either way.

— **Dance of Death 28—**

**Dueling Pit**

**Gringotts**

The dueling pit was truly a pit. The pit was eight feet deep and a ten by thirty rectangle. There was stadium seating all around, and it was packed with Goblins. Dudley, Andromeda, Nymphadora, Ted, and Mr. Felder were on one side, the two Malfoy attorneys were on the other. Bill was in one corner and Narcissa was in the other as the 'seconds'. Neither of the 'seconds' could interfere, but they would each be the ones to declare 'Multa' if their duelist was unable to continue. Harry had made Bill promise not to declare 'Multa' unless he lost consciousness. Harry assured Bill that he could win this.

Harry had investigated setting the terms as 'combat _without_ magic', but in the magical society, that just wasn't done. So, he set the terms as twenty feet apart and no unforgiveables, no potions, no armour, and the only magical item permitted was a wand. Draco did not know Harry had limited casting with a repaired spell matrix, and that gave Harry the edge. He would be focused on keeping Harry at a distance. Well out of arms reach.

Harry was following his father's strategy. Dodge and feint and try to close the distance, but not too much. Then, fire off his one spell. At that point, the duel would be very one sided. He just had to survive long enough. He really didn't know if Draco would try to end this decisively, or if he would taunt and toy with him.

Harry limbered up. He stretched and walked through a few calisthenics to get his heart rate up. Draco was watching him with a smirk. Harry imagined Draco expected him to close the gap and go hand to hand. He knew Harry was a good dodger, so that would make sense. Once limbered, Harry kicked in his heightened perceptions and the world seemed to slow down. He and Draco gave each other a salute, and the duel began.

— **DoD—**

**The Duel: Draco Malfoy's Perspective**

Draco had watched Harry warm up. He didn't have a wand and he was obviously preparing for a physical confrontation. It was a stupid thing to do. Potter was half a head shorter and smaller than he was. Draco knew he could defeat Potter in any kind of encounter. The lack of a wand confirmed all the reports, Harry's magic was shredded, and he was now little more than a squib.

When Harry took off his jacket, Draco gave him the once over. He could tell he was more muscular than he had been. But he was nowhere near as large as a Crabbe or a Goyle. Obviously, his arms and shoulders were bigger, likely due to the manual labour he was now forced to perform. Labour without the benefit of magic. It was almost sad, really. All those veins on his arms… was he even being fed?

Draco really hadn't expected Potter to accept the duel. He was Muggle raised, and therefore, he had no idea how much status he would lose over declining. But he accepted. Draco didn't know whether Potter's education with Aunt Andromeda had made him aware of the importance of the duel or if he was just being a typical Gryffindor… But here they were.

He decided to make this fast. Potter had met him with honour and there was no need to draw this out. He just needed enough gold and wealth to ensure the Dark Lord didn't punish his mother. He would double the liquid assets with a win and triple them in 'Multa'. Hopefully, that would be enough to spare his mum. Probably. Hopefully.

Draco watched Potter wrap up his warmups and square off. They then saluted each other, and the duel began. Draco stuck with stunners. They were quick and should get the job done. But Potter seemed to know they were coming before he even finished casting… He vaguely recalled how Potter could occasionally sense an attack or ambush. Noticing that Potter was a few feet closer, Draco decided it was time to change tactics.

To make his attacks more challenging to avoid, he began firing off a spell chain of _'Stupefy', 'Diffindo'_ , and a _'Bombarda'_ at Potter's feet. These were a stunning, as cutting, and an explosive curse. The first two volleys, Potter managed to avoid. But on the third volley, Potter fell into a roll. Draco knew he had him now.

Then, as he began the fourth volley, a flash came from Potter's extended hand and Draco was suddenly disarmed. He watched his wand go flying toward Potter and effortlessly caught in the boy's hand. The two teens stared at each other for a moment, then Potter backed up and placed Draco's wand at the far edge of the pit.

Potter looked at him and said, "Come and get it."

For a minute, Draco just stared at Potter. What was he up to?

With a smirk, he strode forward. If Potter wanted a trouncing, he'd get one. He met Potter in the center of the pit and swung at him, but Potter shifted out of the way and jabbed his left fist into Draco's face. Draco felt his head snap back and his nose bleed. He found himself staggering back about five feet.

The goblins were now going wild.

Potter stepped forward. He looked directly at him and said, "You shared your grievances, now I'll share mine."

Draco knew he had to keep Potter talking. Then he could manoeuvre around him and get to his wand.

"Your grievances, Potter? OK, let's hear them." Bait him.

Potter then said, _ **"My father told me the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."**_ (SS)As Potter said this, He lashed out with a quick 'one-two' combo. A jab with his left fist followed by a straight punch with his right. Both strikes scored a solid hit. Potter was talking LOUD. He wanted everyone to hear.

Draco was suddenly backing up. His face was aching, and his nose was bleeding harder. Potter didn't even seem to be trying hard. The Goblins were silent, wanting to hear what he was saying. Draco began remembering his own words from years ago.

" _ **You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others…"**_ (SS) Followed by the same 'one-two' combo. Striking Draco's face and jaw. With each combo, the Goblins would cheer.

Draco was getting nervous. He decided to try to move to the side… get around his opponent. Get to his wand. But Potter intercepted him.

" _ **Hagrid's a savage. He lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic and ends up setting fire to his bed."**_ (SS) 'One-Two' combo. Right to the face. Goblins cheering.

Draco realised he had fallen. Potter stepped back a bit and let him get up. He tried to get around Harry again.

" **Unless you're a bit politer, you'll go the same way as your parents."** (SS) 'One-Two' combo. Cheek and nose. Goblins cheering.

Draco noted that he was beginning to strike a little harder with each combo. Had he really said that to him? About his parents? It was low… Why did he do that? He was almost all the way back against the wall. When had he stepped backward?

" _ **You hang around riff-raff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid and it'll rub off on you."**_ (SS) 'One-Two' combo, Goblins cheering. Draco fell backward again. His ears were ringing.

This was not going well. He stayed down and caught his breath. Potter foolishly let him. He'd come up swinging. His arms were longer, and he could begin forcing Potter backward.

Rising, he began swinging, only to have Potter duck under him and deliver a different one-two combo to his ribs. As Draco fell, he heard Potter continue talking.

"Remember Neville's Remembrall, Draco?" … _**"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to collect – how about – up a tree?**_ (SS) A kick was delivered to his ribs, knocking out his breath.

As Draco struggled to rise, Potter reminded him of their first dueling challenge, _ **"I'd take you on any time on my own. Tonight, if you want. Wizards Duel…**_ But, like a coward, you never showed… **"** (SS) He delivered a kick to Draco's face, hurtling him backward. The Goblins were going wild. Standing and shouting. Taking bets.

Potter then calmly said, "Get up Malfoy, we're not done. We're not even halfway through year one of my 'grievances'."

Draco was now scared. He realized his only hope was if he could get to his wand. His mother's safety depended on it. He rose and tried to charge forward. But he was spun around and thrown against the wall. Bouncing off, he lunged toward Potter. Take him by surprise!

Unfortunately, Potter was ready. _ **"Longbottom, if brains were gold, you'd be poorer than Weasley"**_ (SS) One-Two. Goblins Cheering.

" _ **The Gryffindor quidditch team chooses people they feel sorry for. Potters got no parents and the Weasley's have no money."**_ (SS) One-Two combo. Goblins Cheer.

Draco noted that Potter had backed off a little on the force of his fists. He was dragging this out.

" _ **I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special."**_ (CS) One-Two Combo. Goblins cheer. He then followed up with multiple attacks. One-Two, One-Two, One-Two. Draco felt a tooth break and his jaw went numb. Both of his hands were now just covering his face. He was back up against the wall. The wall furthest from his wand. The floor felt like it was moving.

His eyes were swollen, and he could barely see. His nose was broken, and he was covered in blood. His own blood. His ears were ringing, and he could barely hear Potter quoting him from years back. Draco decided to just try to charge through. Had he tried that before? He lunged forward.

" _ **No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood."**_ (CS) Harry went into Draco's body and his hands blurred as they repeatedly struck…. One-Two-Three-Four-Five-Six-Seven-Eight. The Goblins were cheering again. A vicious uppercut shot Draco's head backward.

Something was broken. A rib or two. Did this have to go on? Maybe he could just quit. No… his mother needed him. He rolled over and coughed, but the coughing turned to vomit and his last meal came back up. He was lying face first in the dirty pit. In his own blood and vomit.

Draco knew he was done. Now he was reduced to begging. Pleading. "Potter, please… my mother… Greyback…"

Potter walked over and sat on his back. Reaching around, he pulled his neck up in a strangle hold.

Draco felt breath on his ear, he realized Potter was talking to him. "I wish you had lasted longer, Draco. I have so many more grievances… We aren't even done with the first year."

Draco's vision slowly dimmed. He vaguely heard his mother shout… "Multa."

The goblins began jeering. Their fun had ended.

Draco lost consciousness.

— **Dance of Death 28—**

**Gringotts**

**Conference Room 12**

Many of the participants were waiting patiently for the outcome of the duel. Patiently was perhaps the wrong word… Painfully was a better fit. Suddenly, Harry's huge cousin came bursting in like a bull. The door flew open and impacted the wall with a huge 'bang', causing everyone to jump.

The huge teen gave a 'fist pump' and exclaimed, " **BAM!** Harry kicked his **ASS!** " walking over to the appetisers, he grabbed a muffin and ate it in one huge bite. Then he grabbed another. His excitement was barely contained. Some would say, not contained at all. Tonks and Ted came into the room after Dudley and he gave Tonks a fist bump. She was as excited as he was, but still in control.

Remus quickly came over, "How's Harry? He actually won?" His face was a mixture of hope, relief, and concern.

Tonks was grinning ear to ear. "He's fine Remus!" she thought for a moment and added, "Oh, we think he may have broken his hand at some point. You know when he smashed it against Draco's face. He also twisted his ankle when he had a near miss from a Blasting curse. _But you should see the other guy_."

Ginny rushed forward, "Can I go to see him?" She was clearly anxious.

Tonks smiled; she liked the fiery little redhead Harry had paired up with. "Give mum a few minutes to fix his ankle and hands. Then he'll be along." Looking at Remus she added, "I'm telling you, Remus, it was brutal. He _tore_ Draco **up**!"

Dudley swallowed his muffin and added, "Yeah, he kept repeating crap Draco had said to him. Over and over. You know, ' _Mudblood this_ ', ' _Dead Parents that_ ', ' _you're not as rich as me_ ', just a bunch of bully crap." He then added, "Harry doesn't have thick hands, he may have injured them a bit. He twisted his knee too; I saw him favouring it. The blast threw him a good ten feet. I really didn't know you guys could do that..."

Ted looked far more solemn. Albus approached him, "Edward, was anyone seriously hurt?"

Ted took a deep breath. He really did not like violence. "It's like they said, Harry tore that boy up. It was brutal, but I've seen worse injuries on the Quidditch pitch. Draco will be fine, but his pride may never recover."

Albus could sense there was more… "Ted, what's bothering you?"

Ted was a solicitor; he couldn't help but notice the way Leonard Felder acted. "When Narcissa asked for 'Multa', The Black family solicitor, Felder, had contracts ready to be signed. Detailed contracts, Albus. Not something you could throw together in an hour." He thought for a minute and added, "I think Harry had met with Narcissa at some point. They knew each other. She actually looked… relieved when she read the contracts."

Minerva interrupted, asking, "What did they say? Did you read the contracts?"

Ted shook his head, "I didn't read them, but I know the gist from the discussions. Harry is sending the pair to Grimmauld Place once Andromeda patches Draco up." With a curious expression, he added, "They're working for Harry and Andromeda for the next three years. After which, Harry will return the wealth he won in the duel to Narcissa. I know both Draco and his mother had to agree to some intense loyalty contracts. Harry mentioned 'learning from Arcturus'. Albus, Harry was ready for this. That boy came prepared. And I don't think he had any help."

Amelia Bones watched in amusement. She had every intention of seeing Lucius in a holding cell by the days end. Conniving bastard. She had been extremely worried about Mr. Potter, but now she could relax. She just needed to see him safe…**

Fudge looked over at Dolores and the two seemed quite upset. Albus wondered what he had been promised from the Black Vaults to make him so desperate for Draco to win this. He always knew Fudge was shady, but he was beginning to think the man was flat out corrupt.

Harry and Bill now entered the room. Harry looked a little sheepish, like Bill had read him the riot act. Dudley stomped over, grabbed Harry, threw him over his shoulder, and spun him around. "Whiplash!" The two boys were both laughing.

When he set Harry down, everyone could now see his t-shirt was covered in blood. His knuckles were discoloured and appeared to have been freshly healed. Ginny came running over and pulled him into a hug. Hermione was right behind her. Tonks just messed up his hair. Of course when you have hair like Harry's... it made no real difference.

Dudley pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Harry. It was a 'corona' sized cigar. Harry knew Dudley loved a cigar after a big fight… if he won. Looking inquisitively at his large cousin, Dudley grinned and shrugged.

"I knew you were gonna fight someone Harry. You had that… that look you get." He pulled out a lighter from his pants pocket. "The cigar may be a little bent up from the ride, but I had it in a Ziploc bag. Should smoke up fine. Cohiba!"

Harry laughed and took the cigar. It was a little bent, but he got it back into form easily enough. While he was lighting it, he proclaimed, "I hope Voldemort has other sources of income, because the Malfoy ATM just closed." Most of the room laughed. Harry then added, "Well, I actually hope he doesn't…"

Fudge said something to his ugly assistant that sounded like _Lies…_ Harry ignored them.

Harry had to remind himself while he lit the cigar – Don't inhale. Just pull it into the mouth and get the taste and the nicotine high. He never forgot the horrible first time he smoked one. But he and Dudley had figured it out. He took a couple of puffs to get the cigar burning.

Looking around he added, "I'm sorry I tricked so many of you, but I knew I had to come here. For Sirius."

Arthur Weasley understood and agreed. He'd said as much in the Order meeting. He put his calming hand on Harry's shoulder and said, "You did well, Harry. Sirius would be proud." Harry was regularly reminded what a calming father figure Arthur Weasley was.

Molly Weasley stood beside her husband and asked, "Harry dear, where did all that blood come from?" She seemed to be looking him over for injuries.

Harry took a good puff, blew the smoke to the side, and smiled. "Draco's face."

Ron and the twins all gave each other high fives. Harry noted Minister Fudge didn't share in their enthusiasm. His toad faced assistant was staring daggers at him. Harry elevated his middle finger. Probably not the most genteel thing, but he was in no mood to be nice.

**-DoD-**

Harry allowed Andromeda to oversee the contracts as she was his proxy. She had been impressed with the detail and the quality of the documents. She would have liked to have had Ted beside her, but Harry had contacted the Black family lawyers, so that could create a conflict of interest.

Narcissa Malfoy signed the last contract. Draco timidly did the same. They were basically part of the Black household now. Draco would be a 'Bannerman' to House Black, assisting Harry in his responsibilities. Andromeda would be the official Lady Black and Narcissa would assist her in running the household and bringing the House back up to standards. Publicly, it would be viewed as an act of alliance. Privately, they both knew what it was. Shelter and protection for the two of them. If Lucius was sentenced to Azkaban, then the Dark lord couldn't get to any of the Malfoys.

Andromeda still wanted to get Draco looked at in St. Mungo's, but he was healed enough to travel. He'd need a hefty dose of skele-gro for his ribs, his jaw, and the teeth that had been knocked out. In addition, his spleen would need to be looked at. She had stopped it from bleeding, but St. Mungo's was a better place to complete the repairs.

It eventually came out that Narcissa had met with Harry and he had agreed to give them protection. Draco was shocked, but he also seemed relieved. Relieved… and ashamed. Having so many of his own remarks thrown in his face… Now he owed Potter for his mother's safety. Potter easily could have just turned them away.

Well, Draco knew he'd better learn to get along with Potter, they'd be home schooled together soon enough. He was relieved not to be returning to Hogwarts. His mother agreed to open their manor for Aurors to collect Lucius' things, but they both knew what that was about. It would chase out 'You-Know-Who' and they could then raise up their wards and seal the manor. That snake faced bastard could go to someone else's manor. Parkinson or Nott seemed likely. Draco felt a tinge of guilt and fear for his friends Pansy and Theo… One of them would have a rough time of it.

He'd get checked out in St Mungo's while his mum went to Grimmauld place. Draco never dreamed he would owe his safety and his mother's to Harry Freaking Potter.

— **Dance of Death 28—**

**Gringotts**

**Conference Room 12**

**Will Reading**

When Andromeda Tonks re-entered the room, she found Harry smoking a cigar Dudley had given him. It was what Dudley referred to as a 'celebratory stogie'. Andromeda came over and, with a flick of her wand, she banished the smoldering cigar across the room and into a metal trash bin. Hopefully, there was nothing flammable in there.

Andromeda hated cigars. "Now, there will be no more of that. Open your mouth please." Harry reluctantly did so. Only to have a breath freshener charm applied followed by a lavender scented cleaning charm on his hair. "I may only be your **magical** guardian, but I _never_ want you to light one of those foul things in my presence again. They. Are. Disgusting."

Looking at the teen in front of her, she realised a few things. First, he cared about her. He respected her enough to give her the title Lady Black and full proxy for the family. Secondly, he was shrewd. He worked all of this out and dealt a major blow to his rivals. Yes, he had much to learn, but he accomplished something no one would have given him credit for. Finally, he was merciful. Despite the beating he gave Draco; he was very merciful in the terms he had in the contract. He could have had the boy scrubbing toilets for three years. For ten if he had chosen…

She then pulled him into a tight embrace and proclaimed "You performed well today Hadrian. But don't you ever worry me like that again!" Harry mumbled something like 'yes ma'am'. She was irritated that he had tricked them all, but the results had been spectacular. She had no idea he could be so violent! The boy in the pit was a person she had never seen.

Andromeda did have a concern that he would become overconfident. He pulled this little stunt off because no one expected it. His enemies wouldn't make that mistake again. She'd have to be careful with his safety. Today's victory might embolden him to behave foolishly. Still, she was impressed. He would make an _excellent_ Lord Black.

Ragnok came back into the room and gave a fifteen-minute warning for the will reading. He looked as happy as Harry had ever seen him. Watching wizards pummel each other had apparently agreed with him. Well, he helped Harry make the plans and contact the Iopos Legal Firm, so all was fair. Time to get this over with. All those not named in the will were asked to leave. Cornelius Fudge put up a token of resistance, but in the end, everyone not named in the will had to comply.

The group then settled into seats that faced a wall with a reflective surface area. An area that was 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide was bordered in the center of the wall. Family sat in the front rows with friends and acquaintances behind them. Harry noted that Dumbledore, Minerva, and the Weasleys were seated near the back. He motioned for Luna to come up and join Ginny and Hermione near him. Xenophilius just settled in on the back row with his note pad and quill. He seemed happy to see his daughter with friends.

Ragnok then addressed the room. "Once the reading begins, it will not be stopped. If a wand is drawn, we will treat it as an act of aggression. The guards will treat any aggressive acts as an attack on the Goblin Nation and respond appropriately." Harry noticed that there were quite a few guards outside the room, armed to the teeth.

"Now", Ragnok continued, "Once we begin, the image of Sirius Black will address individuals directly with his final thoughts and bequeathments. Between each of Lord Black's messages, there will be a brief 45 second pause for quiet conversation. Again, violence or aggressive actions will not be tolerated." The message was clear – if you gave them an excuse, they would kill you.

Even Dudley seemed a bit nervous now as he leaned over to Harry and whispered, "I see what you mean about Goblins being really tough dudes."

As the lights slowly dimmed, Harry noted several miniature cups filled with silver sickles. The cups bore a striking similarity to the Tri-Wizard cup. Not a fond memory there. Ragnok made a small cut on his hand and applied the blood to the runes on either side of the reflective surface. Harry also noted a few goblins on each side of each of the room doing the same with the runes on the ends of each aisle.

The lights dimmed, and the image of his godfather slowly appeared on the wall. _"Welcome, to the last Will and Testament of Sirius Orion Black, settle in folks, it's time to say goodbye"._

Sirius' image then said, _"Please note the replica tri-wizard cups filled with silver sickles on the side table. A few of you have earned them."_

" _Dumbledore – You get 30 silver sickles in your own tri-wizard cup. You left me to rot in Azkaban without a trial. You allowed your students to be abused by Snape all these years - shame on you. So many failures. You should be clamping down on all that blood purity nonsense at Hogwarts and educating the ignorant purebloods. But you're stretched too thin…"_

Sirius' image was quiet for a moment.

" _Take this cup and the silver and consider your next moves carefully. There's another war coming. Quit with the stunners and the body binds. You need to treat this like a war, Albus. Fight like your life depends on it because it does. Don't hold back and don't hold your people back."_

With a brilliant smile, Sirius started speaking again.

" _Remus, I am offering you one of the Black properties to be a home for you and anyone you choose to live your life with. The House is will have a 100-year lease for 1 galleon offered to you only. Not transferrable. Unfortunately, due to Werewolf ownership laws, I can't just give it to you. So, it will have to be a lease. Also, 25,000 galleons for you to continue to train and mentor Harry. I'm sure if you need more, Harry will help. He's like that."_

Sirius' smile was sincere.

" _Luna and Xenophilius Lovegood, my favourite reporter and the editor of my favorite publication. I love the Quibbler. I also love the way you, Luna, stood by my godson when he needed you. You march to the beat of your own music, never let anyone change the rhythm on you. Considering your pursuit of the truth, I hereby award you with 1500 galleons as a token of my respect for you and the enlightenment you bring to the Wizarding World. I also award 3000 galleons to the Quibbler to cover any operational expenses."_

" _Additionally, I will fund the next 5 trips the two of you take in your pursuit of miss-understood and hard to find creatures. Up to 30 days each trip, covering wardrobe, transportation, and lodging expenses. Finally, I would like to share through your publication the personal notes from Jonas Black on his opinions and observations regarding theories of the astral plane. They will be shared at a rate of one entry per week and open to discussion and critique as the two of you see fit."_

At this, both Remus and Hermione did a double take. This was huge.

Sirius continued with, _"Oh and by the way, you can have first rights to report on the reading of my Will. See Ted for the necessary releases."_

Harry realised the Quibbler would be getting a huge scoop. Everyone wanted to know what Sirius Black's will reading entailed. With the Challenges and the duel… this was quite an event to cover. The notes from Jonas Black was brilliant. Based on discussions with his mother's incarnation, Harry knew that Jonas Black's work on the astral plane was the work of a genius, with rare insights. The printing of his private notes would make 'the Quibbler' required reading among the intellectual elites of Magical Europe and beyond. Sirius just increased the viewership of the Quibbler by a factor of at least fifty. Additionally, Harry knew the Quibbler would now be in the common rooms of all the houses – especially the Ravenclaws. All those intellectuals would be walking around reading the Quibbler. Even in death, Sirius was a Marauder!

After the short pause between bequeathments, Sirius' image perked up.

" _William Weasley, effective immediately, the house of Black has paid off your debt to Gringotts. You are now a free and independent curse breaker. There is a catch, though – if you choose to accept this, you must continue to train Harry. Curse breaker apprenticeship paid through to mastery. Work with Andromeda to set the timetable, and hopefully there will be a little field work… I know you are already doing this, but let's just make it official. For your trouble, 3,000 galleons in addition to the Gringotts debt. You have been good for Harry, Bill. Thank you. Remus, you may have to join those two jokers in some jungle somewhere."_

" _Hermione, 1000 galleons toward books at Flourish and Botts, or any other arcane book distributor. Plus 100 galleons a year for building your library. This will continue as long as you are in school. Including the pursuit of a mastery. You have a brilliant mind, make sure you don't lose your amazing heart in your pursuit of knowledge. By the way, I have a private message for you. See Ragnok after the general will reading for the message."_

" _Ronald – 30 silver sickles for your treatment of Harry last year. Complete with a replica of the tri-wizard cup. Keep it, toss it, drink out of it, I really don't care. It goes with the sickles. My advice - Grow up and stop being such a lazy GIT. Unless you want a career working as the driver of the knight bus or in some other menial role, you need to wake up and start putting forth more than the minimum effort."_

Sirius let that sink in before continuing.

" _You are relying far too much on Hermione to get you through Hogwarts. Wake up, Ronald. Wake up before it's too late. You are highly intelligent, but you need to treat your life like a chess game. Figure out where you want to be in ten years and start making moves to get there. And Ronald, stop being a prat."_

Everyone squirmed for about a moment. As awkward as it was, it was more than a little true. Harry hoped Ron listened. He was sure the boy was red as a tomato now.

" _Ginny, I'm glad you are in Harry's life. You stood by him when so many others turned their backs. You are a beautiful young girl and you deserve beautiful things. For you, a new trunk/wardrobe with a credit each year, until you graduate, for custom clothes from Madam Malkin's. Insist on the best, you deserve it. Also, a new broom from Viper Brooms. It's called a 'Boomslang' and it was specially designed for chasers. Extremely popular on the South American circuit. You also get a 100 galleon credit at Quality Quidditch Supplies. This pairs well with an all-expense paid quidditch training summer camp in Holyhead with the Harpies. Enjoy it!"_

Ginny knew about the camp – run by the Harpies coaches and a few of their retired players. It had the reputation of being a scouting and recruiting camp for the Harpies. This was a huge opportunity.

" _Fred and George – For the latest in a long line of pranksters from Hogwarts, I hereby bequeath 5000 galleons for a joke shop that I have heard the both of you talking about***. One condition - Harry is a partner with a 40% ownership. Take it or leave it."_

" _Now, get your act together and stop being prats. In addition to the investment, based on last year's behaviour, you have both earned 30 shiny sickles each. Maybe you deserve it, maybe you don't. In my opinion, as the man of the hour and senior prankster, you guys dropped the ball last year. Don't screw over your new partner in the future. Harry, you are now a partner and investor in a joke shop which I am sure will do well. Don't let your anger and resentment interfere with the profits I am sure you will enjoy."_

The twins looked equal parts embarrassed and excited. They whispering to each other while occasionally sending a tentative look at Harry. Harry hoped they could become at least friendly acquaintances again. The sad truth is, until his last year at Hogwarts, the twins were always two of the people he enjoyed the most.

" _Minerva – Well, Minnie, you outlasted me. I hope you know I love you as you were there for me when I needed you. All those years ago. For this, 10,000 galleons. That should set you up for a nice retirement when you are ready. Unfortunately, you were not there for my godson. So, now let's talk about Harry."_

Sirius didn't seem as jovial and he appeared to be struggling with what to say.

" _You have failed him on so many levels. For starters, you didn't collect him for the first trip to Diagon Alley. Why? You know how important that first contact is. Nothing against Hagrid, but he really did not know how to bring Harry into our world. Why didn't you step in? He has been targeted and bullied every year at Hogwarts and you never stood up for him. Why? Why did you keep him at arms-length? You had to know how badly he needed someone to care for him. Why did you never tell him about his parents? You were the maid of honour at Euphemia's wedding. You and Dorea were friends. Your husband and Charlus were thick as thieves. Euphemia's only son, James, was your godson. You always said Lily was the daughter you wish you could have had."_ At this Minerva began crying into her handkerchief. _"I don't know what happened to you and your once inspiring courage, but I sincerely hope you find it again."_

The image of Sirius paused a moment. He looked pained.

" _You were the best teacher I ever had; future generations need you. Don't you realise that with NEWT level potions requirement to be an Auror, Hogwarts is responsible for stacking the Auror office with Slytherin graduates? Haven't you noticed how he gives them preferential treatment?"_

" _Given the way the Slytherins can act, how many non-Slytherin students would even want to be stuck in a class they're outnumbered in? It's hard to prepare ingredients when you think someone is going to throw something into your cauldron the minute you look away. Seriously, how many potions accidents have occurred with non-Slytherin students that swear their potion was tampered with? And why was he allowed to set the level of NEWT acceptance to an 'Outstanding'? All other NEWT classes require an 'Exceeds Expectations'****."_

" _Now, consider how Snape is allowing pure blood propaganda and bigotry to run rampant in Slytherin house. Consider how he has been restricting NEWTs in potions to primarily Slytherins and allowing their blood purity bigotry to fester… He is influencing the next generation of law enforcement. You can't be blind enough not to see this. Wake up Minnie, you're almost out of time and your legacy is looking sub-standard. Amelia, are you listening as well? I hope so."_

" _So, on Harry's behalf, 30 sickles in a replica of the tri-wizard cup. Keep the cup to remind yourself what happens when you fail to look after someone that needs you. This has been the hardest part of my will. Please, Minnie, never think I don't love you."_

At this point the image of Sirius pauses and wipes away a few of his own tears.

" _Albus, were_ _ **you**_ _listening? You keep saying Voldemort is returning, but you're letting Snape and Malfoy stack the deck before the hand is dealt. I'm curious… What did Snape tell you? Let me guess – I need to treat my Slytherin students better to ensure I have the Dark Lord's trust… I need to raise the standard in potions to an 'Outstanding' to prevent accidents… for safety's sake. Meanwhile Lucius has influenced the Ministry to require all Auror candidates to have a NEWT in Potions. There is no way that is a coincidence._ _ **Wake up Old Man!**_ _You got lucky last time, but there won't be any little boys to pull you out of the hole you're digging now. Change the laws! You and I both know an auror rarely touches a cauldron! Fire Snape!***** He is not on anyone's side but his own. He is, at best, a double agent ensuring both sides will reward him if they win. At worst, he has decided you don't have what it takes to win and is planning to defect when things get rough. Now listen very carefully, old man, to what I'm about to say,_ _ **Pacifists. Don't. Win. Wars**_ _."_

Albus Dumbledore appeared to be considering what he had just heard. His thoughts were spinning in his head 'Could it be true? Has Severus been taking advantage of my trust? Albus planned to re-review the oath he had made Severus take those many years ago to find loopholes. 'If Severus had lost his resolve, he would have spent years looking for any possible way around that oath he could find. One could even argue that the Life Debt he owed James was eliminated in Harry's first year when Severus prevented him from being thrown from his broom by Quirrell. That debt was weak at best, given that James was not just saving him, but was also helping prevent Remus from becoming a wanted murderer. He was also saving Sirius' neck as well. Albus decided this was too much to think about now, he would examine the events and his thoughts when he got back to his office and had his pensieve.'

During the brief pause between readings, Amelia looked over at Dumbledore noting he was lost in thought. He looked sad, almost broken hearted. This was not the defeater of Grindelwald and the champion of the light as so many saw him. This was a teacher past his prime and looking for a way to avoid another war that couldn't be stopped. Susan had confessed how bad things were this year and the last. Amelia knew she would have to step it up and take the reins, Albus may no longer be up to it.

Sirius reappeared and picked up the reading once more.

" _Andromeda Tonks, welcome back into the Black family, fully re-instated. Of course, this may be old news… To help you get settled, 50,000 galleons to be paid into your vault immediately. It is the dowry you should have had. In addition, you are offered the role of family Proctor and the title of Lady Black until Harry is 17 years old, then as executor of the accounts until he is 21. If you accept, you will be tasked with preparing him for his new role in society and how to serve as the head of the Black family. For your trouble you will have a monthly stipend of 1000 galleons per month for the duration of your stint as Proxy, then 500 hundred per month for the rest of your life. Yep, you are rich, time to be Lady Black for a while. At least until Harry marries. Oh, given the current climate, either consider moving into Grimmauld Place or updating your wards."_

" _One small request Andi – if Albus and Minerva are too weak and cowardly to fix the Potions problem at Hogwarts, approach Amelia and offer to help subsidise a Potion tutor to get promising recruits up to NEWT level. That will allow her to bring in 'non-snakes' to the department."_

" _Nymphadora Tonks, you are also back in the family. You will have full access to the Library and Grimoire. You are awarded 5,000 galleons, plus a flat in Hogsmeade. In addition, you will receive 250 galleons per month – a Black family allowance. Please don't go blowing it all on beer and fire whiskey. Do me another favour, look after both Harry and Remus. One is family and the other is worth looking after."_

" _Horace Slughorn, you are given 1000 galleons just because you are a greedy GIT and I like you. Plus, I want you to give private tutoring for Harry in potions, expenses paid and managed by Andromeda. Training can go all the way up to NEWT, but the Back vault will pay for a mastery if Harry shows interest. Horace, you have a lot of damage to repair. Snape has poisoned an entire generation of students on potions thanks to Albus and Minerva looking the other way to his abuses."_

" _In addition, I'd like you to introduce Harry to the right circles and share with him your memories of his mother. You were closer to her than any other teacher except Minerva – and she has already dropped the ball. Harry, give ol' Horace a chance. He's pretty fun… for a Slytherin."_

Harry looked around and noticed a large man with a huge mustache watching intently. He glanced over and looked at Harry with a smile. Harry smiled back. That guy was close to his mother? Where had he never heard of him before? The name was awfully familiar.

" _Onto the Dursley's. Dudley, keep getting better and stick by Harry, you have grown up a lot this year. Don't regress. You get yourself 20,000 pounds. Buy a car or something. I have faith in you."_

_Vernon and Petunia, Well, you came around. So, fifty thousand pounds. Keep giving Harry the fisticuff training he's been getting. He's such a gentle boy, I doubt he'll use it… but you never know."_

There was a sudden round of uncomfortable laughter. No one would call Harry gentle after today. Harry wondered why Dudley and the Dursley's weren't contacted to attend the reading. Dudley was there more by chance than intent. Were Muggles not allowed in Gringotts?

" _Amelia, you are here for two reasons. One, to make sure someone in the DMLE gets to hear my random thoughts and ramblings. Brilliance like mine absolutely needs an audience as large as possible. Two, fix the potions problem. See Andromeda. If you have good applicants that are rejected due to lack of a Potions NEWT, let's try and fix that with tutoring. Goodbye Amelia."_

" _Arthur and Molly. Arthur, you may be the nicest guy I have ever met. You may even be too nice for your own good. But you've been good for Harry. You've also been a good role model for me to follow as a god father. For your efforts and kindness, 3000 galleons. Take Molly on a big trip. Live it up. Use some of it to buy more muggle gadgets. Never let anyone come between you and your hobbies. Harry, I suspect you can always go to Arthur and Molly if you need them. Arthur, I wish you and your wife peace and happiness."_

" _Now, the man of the hour. My esteemed godchild, Harry Potter. The rest of my estate all goes to Harry. He will be the head of the Black family on his 17_ _th_ _birthday and will be able to have full access to the vaults on his 21st Birthday. Until then, a stipend of 200 galleons a month plus expenses as the Black head of family, then 500 galleons a month after he turns 17. This is in addition to the Potter trust account. Andromeda will see this through. I know you will be back on a broom soon, so I took the liberty of ordering you a_ _ **Black Mamba**_ _. It's from the same Viper Broom Company in the States that I ordered Ginny's from and it compares nicely to the Firebolt. It's also a company that's funded from the Potter estate… Who knew? One more thing, there is a ban on marriage contracts until he is of age to request one – he will not be forced to be with anyone he does not want to be with. I expect that to be in the Quibbler to discourage… well, you know."_

"Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes the last will and testament of yours truly. My parting words for Harry, Make good choices. Surround yourself with good people. Let go of your grudges and anger, it won't serve you in the end and you can't take it with you. Oh, and one other thing: Kick Snake Face's Ass!"

"Sirius Black has now… left the building."

The image of Sirius faded with a wink and the lights slowly rose.

Harry felt many emotions. With all the tension finally breaking, Harry broke down in tears. He thought being here and trouncing Draco would make him feel better. Like he had done something for Sirius. Like he had earned his title. But no matter what he did or accomplished; he had still lost his godfather. He was still broken hearted.

Seeing Harry break down, Dudley put his arm around him and whispered, "It's OK, little brother, I got you." Ginny came over too as well. Harry pulled himself together, blew his nose into a handkerchief, and just leaned back. He had a few others come over to see him. Including that Slughorn fellow. Harry smiled politely and got through it all.

— **Dance of Death 28—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**Two Hours Earlier**

Narcissa Malfoy sat quietly in the kitchen. She had been reflecting on the outrageous turn of events at Gringotts. Potter came through for her and Draco as well. She never dreamed he'd do it the way he had, but it was very well executed. As much as she hated seeing her son beaten, it was needed to ensure there would be no reprisals from the traditionalist families supporting the Dark Lord. No one could say he hadn't tried. The trip to St Mungo's would ensure that. Hearing an unusual ruckus, she walked to the back of the house, near the boiler room. There she found a grubby little man wrestling with Kreacher for a necklace of some kind. A thief!

Within moments, Mundungus Fletcher was stunned and in a Body Bind. What kind of a low life robs a home while the owners are at a will reading? She considered punishing him but decided that wasn't her place. She collected the objects he had lifted and, with Kreacher's help, moved them into the Dining room and placed them on the table. She had to give the thief credit; the man had an eye for valuable antiques… That tea serving set was _exquisite_.

She'd let Potter and Andromeda decide what to do with the miscreant. Looking down at the ancient house elf, she said, "Well Kreacher, look at us. Who would have dreamed you and I would ever find ourselves beholden and in service to a Half-Blood Lord Black?" There was no malice, just calm disbelief. Kreacher had always _adored_ Narcissa. She was, without a doubt, his favorite Black… Although Regulus had come close.

Kreacher chuckled. He seemed exceedingly amused. Incredibly pleased with himself and not at all unhappy with his servitude. That got Narcissa's attention.

"Kreacher, is there something I should know?"

Kreacher nodded his head, then croaked out, "Kreacher cannot say. Lord Arcturus forbids Kreacher from _speaking_ …" She noted how he emphasised the word 'speaking'. He'd found a loophole. The cunning little elf had found a loophole in a command Arcturus had given him!

Kreacher then took Narcissa's hand and led her into the study. On the wall was the Black family tree tapestry. He waddled over and pointed to Potter's name – _'Hadrian Potter Black'_. She knew from signing the many contracts after the duel that this was his actual name. It had the markings of a Lord, but it was underlined as well. There was only one other name on the tree that was underlined, and it was from generations ago.

"Kreacher, why is Hadrian's name underlined?" Was this what he was trying to share?

Kreacher looked back, surprised. He scrunched up his face and croaked out, "Them's Mages, not Wizards." But Narcissa could tell that wasn't what he was trying to point out. Still, Potter was a mage? He had used wandless magic in the duel…

"Mistress Narcissa mights be needing these…" He handed her a pair of enchanter's glasses.

Enchanter's glasses were powerful devices, but they were also migraine inducing. The Potter family made the best enchanters' glasses, but they rarely made them for outsiders. These were a Potter design and must have been a gift from Dorea's betrothal. They had the Black family insignia on the side, so she should be able to use them, now that she was _somewhat_ reinstated. She placed them on her face and looked at the tapestry. It shimmered and her eyes began to feel strained.

"Kreacher, what am I looking for?" Narcissa had a close relationship with Kreacher. She knew he cared deeply for her and Draco as well. She was surprised to see him responding so favorably to Potter.

He croaked out, "Mistress musts gaze at the new Lord and adjust the glass." He was so excited, Narcissa wondered if she should get a mat to place under him. What with his age and all…

She looked back at the tapestry. Adjusting the glasses, she saw James and Lily Potter's names appear above his. That's not possible… Evans was a Muggle-born and would not show on the tapestry. Then she noted the branch from her name… leading up to a… different marital union. One never announced or made public. Narcissa suddenly felt a wave of fear wash over her. One of Lily Potter's parents was a Black. Not just any Black… And both of Lily's parents were still alive.

Both were pureblooded and greatly feared. Feared for quite different reasons. But what sent fear up and down her spine was the name of Lily Potter's mother, not her father. Narcissa Malfoy now knew why so many agents and investigators had disappeared. She knew why the assassins Lucius had hired to kill Juliette Prewett had failed. She knew the person who sent her to Hadrian's Gymnasium was _**not**_ her agent. No wonder he never showed up to be paid.

Narcissa quickly removed the glasses and handed them back to Kreacher. Her eyes felt like they had been manhandled, and a migraine was near. She looked down at Kreacher. No wonder he liked Potter so much.

Kreacher held a finger up to his mouth. "Shhhhhhhhhh. Family secret, can't tell… the Mudbloods."

Narcissa knew what that meant. The Tonk's didn't know. No one knew. She caught movement on the wall and saw Walburga had moved into another painting. She smiled and winked at Narcissa. Her right index finger rising in front of her mouth. She knew… But how had Lily come to live with the Evans? The tapestry showed her parents were legally married… Her name wasn't even really Evans…

And there it was. Hadrian Potter Black is a Mage and a pure blood pedigree. No wonder Walburga loved him so. No wonder Kreacher idolised him. And he's a mage… not a squib. He won the duel with wandless magic… he must be healing. How powerful was he? How powerful would he become?

"Kreacher. Never share this information. Don't even hint at it. This is… enlightening." There. With the word "hint" the loophole was closed. Of course, she wasn't the lord, so it wasn't completely closed. The next three years would be an opportunity. She would make sure the house of Black and the House of Malfoy were aligned. For the first time in months, she thought that maybe... the Dark Lord had met his match. Maybe her family could be free. For the first time in months, she let herself feel something she had almost given up on.

Hope.

— **Dance of Death 28—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**After the Reading**

Andromeda ushered Harry and Dudley into Grimmauld Place. She had her husband and daughter in tow as well. Remus tagged along and stayed close to Tonks. Bill also accompanied them as he wanted to help Harry reset the wards before sending him home to Surrey. Harry planned to open the second floor living area to Draco and Narcissa.

Andromeda was furious when she found out two underage teens had driven from Surrey to London on a rebuilt motorcycle that had never run for more than a few minutes in a garage. A motorcycle neither teen had a licence to drive. She blasted the pair out and sent word to the Dursley's that they were safe. As intelligent as Harry was, he was still just a teenager. Just as prone to bad decisions as any other. So like her own rebellious daughter.

Nymphadora Tonks seemed to enjoy watching them get chewed out. It brought back memories of her own fun filled youth. That is, until she was tasked with returning the motorcycle. Then she was grumbling like Harry and Dudley. Remus eventually volunteered to drive it back. He felt sorry for the teens and for Tonks. It was like being with James and Sirius again, watching their frequently flawed plans fall apart much to their surprise. Bill, on the other hand, thought they deserved it and was still irritated that Harry had deceived him.

Andromeda decided to get a quick dinner at Grimmauld place before calling an executive driving service. Yes, some do work on Boxing Day. They were also going to figure out where Harry would sleep once the Dursley family moved to Boston. The Lord's suite seemed most appropriate, but only of Andromeda didn't want to move in. Andromeda wanted to get a good look before committing.

As they all made their way through the house, Dudley was fascinated by the paintings and décor. He made some comment about it being Halloween year-round… Walburga said nothing but looked at Harry disapprovingly. Harry mouthed 'bodyguard' and she seemed to accept that. Bigoted old painting.

At the dining room table, they found Narcissa with several items strewn about on the table. On the floor was a bound man that Bill and Remus recognised. Andromeda made eye contact with her sister and knew there was more here than meets the eye.

Remus went down to the unconscious man on the floor. "Mundungus…" Looking up at Narcissa he said, "What have you done to him?" It was a threatening accusation.

Narcissa coolly raised one eyebrow. "Lady Black. Heir Black. This man was rooting through your home and had pilfered the objects you see on the table. He is a common thief." The final word was spoken while looking directly at Remus.

Andromeda looked over at Remus and Bill. "Mr. Lupin, Heir Weasley… you know this… miscreant? How did he get past the wards?"

William spoke up, "He's one of Dumbledore's… employees. Sirius granted them access to the first floor."

Andromeda took a deep breath. She was now Lady Black. Harry seemed shocked and surprised, but she knew he was quick to anger. She had to deal with this. "Please inform Headmaster Dumbledore that access to this home needs to be reviewed and discussed. And as of today, none of his employees will be permitted within the home uninvited."

Andromeda couldn't believe Sirius would be so… permissive. He let them inside the house. Without an invitation? She suddenly noticed Harry staring at one of the many items on the table.

Harry couldn't believe one of Dumbledore's worshippers had tried to steal from Sirius' house. He thought he vaguely recognised the man… he looked like one of the spectators when he fought Piers. Harry couldn't help but notice how vile the room smelled. It was awful… he'd smelled it before, too. It was like rotting meat on a hot day. It reminded him of… the diary. Of his own scar… the way it had been before the soul shard was removed. He reluctantly opened his perceptions and realised the foulness was not coming from the thief. It was coming from the table… one of the objects the thief was stealing.

Harry looked up at the gathered members of the house. With a gasp, Andromeda realised his eyes were softly glowing emerald Green. Narcissa seemed to notice as well. He gently spoke, his face was a mixture of revulsion and disgust.

"Bill… I think this necklace… I think it's a Horcrux…"

— **Dance of Death 28—**

***Multa – Latin for Fine. Penalty. Penalty involving property. (Online-Latin-dictionary)**

****After effects of the Tier 1 alliance.**

*****In this story, Harry never gave the twins the winning galleons from the Tri-Wizard Tournament.**

******Unlike Sirius, I absolutely believe an 'Outstanding' should be required for a NEWT in potions as they are making potentially explosive and lethal concoctions. One bad ingredient and 'BOOM'. Snape's problem is he refused to make exceptions. Poor writing can prevent an O even though the practical skill is sufficient.**

******* Note that Sirius is not a seer or all knowing. His statements are from his own point of view and are certainly biased. This is especially true with Snape. Snape's problem is that he is a bully and full of bitterness – much of its self-loathing. But make no mistake, he hates Voldemort more than almost anyone. The only possible exception is that he may hate himself more. His main flaw is that he's a terrible teacher and is extremely biased. Exposure to Harry's horcrux magnified his flaws significantly. Also remember, the dark mark is not a simple tattoo. It feeds on negative emotions. With the Diadem in the castle, there is a constant underlying effect. Combined with his mark, it brings out the worst.**

**(SS) Where you see (SS), it is a quote or a paraphrase from something Draco said in the Sorcerer's Stone (aka. Philosophers Stone).**

**(CS) Where you see (CS), it is a quote or a paraphrase from something Draco said in the Chamber of Secrets.** **  
**

**He had so many insults, Harry mistakenly thought two of the ones he listed were from first year.**

**OK, this was a huge chapter. The story has moved very slowly since the graveyard chapter, but it was necessary to really show how the Harry from Casting Shadows became the mage he is. Harry can sense magic, he is a good unarmed fighter (Although Dudley could whoop him), He has solidified his position as the next Lord Black, and he is now tied closer to the Malfoys. I do not want to drag this story on forever, so it will speed up. Truthfully, I never intended it to be this long, it just got legs of its own. I still intend to speed things up and complete this story so I can focus on Casting Shadows. After re-reading my outline for Chimera Rising, I am very eager to get back to that one as well.**

**Writing this chapter was tough as there are just so many tropes and overused readings of Sirius' will. I tried not to make mine a 'just one more', but it's kind of hard as so many other authors have done such a good job here. I hope it was passable. The fight scene with Draco was so** _**very** _ **necessary. It allowed Draco to vent a little on how Harry had snubbed him in their first year. Keep in mind, Ron laughed at his name** _**before** _ **Draco insulted him. At that point in the book, Draco had only been polite. Yes, he was spoiled rotten, but he hadn't said anything rude to Harry. Harry's refusing to shake his hand was a serious insult.**

**A lot of very good stories have been written on what may have happened if Harry hadn't met Ron first. No need to go there now, but Harry and Draco both needed to air their grievances. I tried to write the fight realistically. Harry has been fighting in one way or another most of his life. Draco had probably never been in a real fist fight. Harry trains intensely and with a purpose. Draco… has Crabbe and Goyle.**


	29. Chapter 29

— **Dance of Death 29—**

**We left off with Harry firmly in place as the new Lord Black. Lucius was in a holding cell for attempted theft of Blood from the Heir of an Ancient and Most Noble house. In desperation, Draco challenged Harry to an honour duel believing Harry had no chance against him. Unknown to Draco, Harry had begun recovering from his injuries and had planned to surprise his overconfident rival. Harry defeated Draco in the duel and claimed what was left in the Malfoy coffers. To increase the prize, Draco had added the content of Bellatrix Lestrange's vault as well.**

**Narcissa and Draco were obligated to sign magically binding loyalty contracts and were moved to Grimmauld Place where they would serve the House of Black for three years. While there, Narcissa interrupted Mundungus Fletcher as he was attempting to rob the house. Once Harry arrived, he recognised the feel of a locket and identified it as a Horcrux.**

**The story picks up two weeks after these events.**

**Special thanks to 'Just William' for Beta Reading and helping make the story better**

**Chapter 29: Awkward Moments**

— **Dance of Death 29—**

** Synopsis **

The Dursleys were not happy about the boys sneaking out to attend Sirius' will reading. Especially when they heard Harry had to duel another wizard. The fact that he won didn't seem to matter very much to Petunia, but Harry could tell Vernon was pleased. His Uncle had listened very intensely to Dudley's blow-by-blow review of the duel. Petunia was simply plain furious with both. The fact that Harry's motorcycle broke down while Remus was driving it back didn't help matters.

The fifty thousand pounds Sirius had left them cushioned Vernon's anger a bit. He was now officially no longer angry. You couldn't say he was happy, but he was not angry either. One of 'his boys' beat the stuffing out of a pompous wizard who needed to be taken down a few notches. Then, he had an extra fifty thousand pounds given to him by a wizard he found quite entertaining. The man's death was unfortunate, but Harry seemed to be coping. Harry noted that Vernon looked downright proud when Harry thanked him for the Boxing lessons. Vernon's pride was obvious to them all.

By New Year's day, Petunia was no longer angry and the Dursley's soon packed up and headed to Boston. After one more last-ditch effort to persuade Harry to join them, they said their goodbyes and Harry moved into Grimmauld Place on January 6th, 1996. Dobby and Pipsey quietly gave him support and encouragement. Kreacher didn't like having other house elves in his house, but they agreed not to encroach, and he grudgingly stopped complaining.

Andromeda had partially moved into the house with Ted. They recognised the need to live in a location with better wards, they just weren't quite ready to make it permanent. Nymphadora had also moved in, but being a young adult, she was in and out frequently. Draco and Narcissa had taken up permanent residence and things were a bit awkward at times. Lucius was in a ministry holding cell and Malfoy Manor had been raided by the ministry with permission from Narcissa. Numerous dark objects were collected and destroyed, unfortunately adding to Lucius' charges.

Narcissa was glad he was no longer within reach of the Dark Lord. Speaking of which, Voldemort and his Deatheaters had left the Manor once the Aurors arrived. Narcissa arranged a team of Goblins to seal up the Manor and had the wards turned back on to prevent any non-Malfoy from entering. She had now officially declared her position and there was no going back. If Voldemort won, she would be horrifically punished.

Dr. Gains would be back from her holiday next week and Harry had a session planned. His sessions with her had turned into something he looked forward to. His sessions were less frequent now, but far more in depth. He was focusing less on the past and more on the future. She helped him gain a more holistic perspective. She helped him confront his pain and anger, while also accepting what he could not change. Who knows, he might even be able to share a common room with Cho or Hannah and not curse either of them. Maybe.

Harry hadn't been back to Grimmauld Place since the day he discovered the Horcrux locket. Bill had informed him that Dumbledore came and collected it. Everyone involved was sworn to secrecy and apparently, Dumbledore had forced binding oaths of secrecy on everyone present. Apparently, he was persuasive to the point of being threatening. Bill had refused as he already knew about the Horcruxes and was an active part of the plan to track and destroy any others that may be out there.

Harry moved into Grimmauld Place on a Saturday. With Dobby and Pipsey's help, he managed to get all his belongings moved in less than an hour. Walking through the only home he had ever known was an emotional experience. He knew Privet Drive would likely be destroyed once the Blood Wards fell (Vernon had over-insured the property). That meant that he may never have to see it again. On a whim, he took a little extra time and tended his garden… not easily given all the tools were packed up and sent to Boston. Still, he wanted to say goodbye to his Roses and the small Oak tree in back. With a last look into his cupboard, he locked up and let Dobby apparate him to Grimmauld Place. His new home.

Harry was put in the Master Bedroom suite even though he had tried to get Andromeda and Ted to take it. She insisted that he should have it as the next Lord Black. Harry couldn't help but wonder if there had been a discussion between Andromeda and Narcissa on who would have the Master Suite. Had he been the compromise? There were two other large guest bedrooms with suites, so they would be fine. Draco had moved into a normal sized empty bedroom and Narcissa took one of the two guest suites. Ted and Andromeda reserved the other. For now, they were staying in their own home. There – the Black family had moved home. One big dysfunctional group of misfits.

— **Dance of Death 29—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**January 7, 1996**

**Saturday Morning**

Harry and Tonks had just gotten back from a workout at the Boxing club and Harry went up to shower. He missed the jogging that they used to do, but it was now Apparition only. Bill had begun hinting that even that was too dangerous. If Narcissa could find him, then it stood to reason others could as well. Narcissa just shrugged and said she got lucky. He knew it was a topic for tonight's Order meeting. He had considered just volunteering not to return, but he was curious as to what the Order would say.

Dobby and Kreacher had helped him convert the attic into a gym, so that he could at least keep in shape. Add in a heavy weight punch bag and a speed bag… with a little luck, he wouldn't regress quite so much. As much as he'd miss the gym, it would kill him if Lou or any of the people he trained with were killed by Deatheaters. Harry craved the combat training he had been getting, and he needed sparring partners to stay sharp, but he wouldn't put any other members in danger. He'd just tell Lou he was leaving for Boston with the Dursleys. Lou had no idea they had already left.

He went to relax in the library and saw Draco reading a magazine. Alright, might as well break the ice. He approached the other teen and noticed he had a Quidditch magazine from France. That was new.

"Malfoy." Harry tried to sound neutral. This was awkward.

"Potter" Harry noticed Draco never actually looked up.

After a moment of silence, Harry asked, "Do you follow the French league?"

Draco looked up, "Not really. But they have a few new players that I follow. They've pretty much all switched over to the Firebolt. Even the keepers." He scrunched up his face at that. "Why on earth would a keeper want a Firebolt?"

Harry was shocked at that. "That makes no sense. Do you mind…?" Harry picked up the magazine. After thumbing through it a moment he found a photo. "Check this out."

He placed the image of a team on the table. "Can you use an enlargement charm? The wards block the trace…"

Draco lazily shrugged and enlarged the photo.

Harry pointed at the keeper, "Look, it's only made to look like a Firebolt. The shaft is all wrong. And check out the stirrups, they look to be more like a high end Cleansweep model. This is either not a Firebolt or it's a custom job."

Draco looked intently at the image. "Good eye, Potter. You know your brooms." Surprisingly, there was no sarcasm there.

"Well, when you bunk with a Weasley, you see and hear about Quidditch all day, every day." Despite how much Ron had let him down, he missed talking about Quidditch with him.

"Well, better than Crabbe and Goyle. Those two seem to spend hours discussing the various beater bats of all things."

"Are you telling me there are different variations in beater bats?" This was new. The twins never seemed to care which bat they were using. Well, maybe they did.

"You wouldn't believe how customised they can be. Size, weight, length, balance point, even the COP is tracked." Despite his tone, Draco looked like he missed his friends. Well, he called them Crabbe and Goyle, so they couldn't be that close.

Harry wondered, "What does 'COP' stand for?"

Draco looked over and realised he was in a conversation. "COP stands for Centre of Percussion. It's a point where little or no vibration would occur if you strike there. New bats have a coloured band around that point. It wears away over time." Draco turned to an advertisement and Harry saw it addressed the different schematics and clearly showed a red band around the thickest point.

Harry thought about that a minute. It made sense that beaters would be fanatical about their bats. Just like chasers were about their brooms and gloves. And seekers practically worshipped their brooms.

Draco took a deep breath and once he had Harry's attention, he said, "I want to thank you, Potter. You helped my family out of a tough spot. Even my dad is better off away from… You-Know-Who. I'm also sorry about the… well, some of the things I've said. Mocking your parents was poor form. I hope you'll accept my apology." It looked like Draco had struggled with the apology.

"I'm know I was rough on you in the pit. It needed to be authentic to ensure no reprisals. And… let's be honest, you kind of had it coming." After another awkward moment, Harry added, "But we're both here now. We'll be the only teenagers in the house, and we should try to get along. I can be civil. Lord knows I've been civil to people who have done worse."

"Civil. I can do civil as well. And for the record, I never hexed you when you didn't have a wand. Just in case you wondered. Still, hearing my insults tossed back at me… Yes, I can be civil. I am, after all, your 'Bannerman'."

Harry nodded. "Well we both like Quidditch. There's that. Do you have any idea what a 'Bannerman' is?"

Draco laughed and shook his head. "It means I carry the banner for house Black. As the heir, you lead, and I basically follow your lead. It keeps me away from the Deatheaters and their children." Draco shrugged and added, "Not that I'm complaining. You can't easily be in their circles without commitment."

Harry considered this a minute. "House Black has good lawyers."

Draco barked out a laugh and said, "You have no idea."

Harry gave Draco an odd look and asked, "What do you mean?"

"The Iopos law firm chooses one main family in each region to represent. Well, Usually only one. My father tried to get their representation and nearly succeeded. But a slight majority apparently wasn't ready to give up on you." With a smirk he added, "You surprised us all." *

Harry knew he should just let it go, but he pressed on, "When was that?"

"When you were a baby. Then again after you 'supposedly' lost your magic." With the 'supposedly' comment Draco smirked a bit.

"But I was still a Potter when I was a baby."

"Arcturus did _something_ that got them to focus on you. But then you just disappeared for a decade." Draco was shocked at how little Harry knew. "You should ask Aunt Andromeda to go over rules of ascension within the different families. Some are quite simple; others are ridiculously complex." It took a lot of effort to remain neutral, but he was Harry's Bannerman. He had no choice. It was, however, a far better option than being in service to you-know-who.

"Right." Considering a moment, Harry added, "Thanks."

Harry considered that it could have been worse. Still, he planned to force Draco to act like his Bannerman when they went back to Hogwarts for their OWLs. He couldn't let the pompous git off too easily. He might make him carry Hermione's books around… Maybe he would even make him wear a tiara.

Harry was looking forward to that.

— **Dance of Death 29—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**January 7, 1996**

**Saturday Evening**

Harry spent most of the afternoon reading over different Runic combinations in the Black library. It wasn't anything he didn't already know, but it was interesting to read about Runes in Old English. The Blacks were nowhere near as knowledgeable of Runes as they were curses and Dark Magic.

Kreacher soon brought him tea and announced that he was wanted downstairs.

Harry put away the tome he was reading and went down the stairs. He felt the wards transition as he entered the first floor. This was the only floor that Order members were allowed on. Bill met him in the hallway. It was always good to see Bill. He was more than a little pissed about the will reading, but he got past it.

"Hey, Bill. Anything you can share?"

"Well, the raid on Malfoy Manor resulted in quite a few surprises. You know who and his followers had to leave quickly to avoid detection and they left a lot of evidence behind. Amelia is having a field day now and Fudge is struggling to keep his version of the truth believable. A number of Aurors and Hit-Wizards are now openly discussing his return."

"What did they find at the Manor?"

"Well, all the house elves had been eaten. Priceless family artefacts had been destroyed. There were signs of an enormous amount of Snake droppings… apparently the smell was terrible. It was obvious there were many people in the Manor who had fled but left a few personal effects behind. You know, toothbrushes and the like. The vault which Narcissa told us about was full of some terrible objects, but no other Horcruxes. Lucius is looking at a long stay in prison. Oddly, he seems to prefer being in prison, so… win-win."

"How much did the loss of the Malfoy funds hurt the Deatheater cause?"

"Apparently, a lot. The Nott's and the Parkinson's are now being driven to insolvency. The Selwyn's and Travers' are right behind them. The rest just don't have the funds to spare. You-know-who was so angry he wanted to destroy Malfoy Manor, but it's already in stasis and he'd tip his hand if he tried. He probably has a few emergency stashes scattered around, but he needs real funds."

"Nice." Harry liked getting good news. "Anything else?"

"Well, Mundungus is no longer allowed in Grimmauld Place and has been taken off the ward scheme, per Andromeda… but you knew that. Albus is having to meet with him privately." Seeing Harry smirk, he added, "Don't underestimate Fletcher, Harry. He brings valuable insight to the order. He works in… less respectable places."

"As long as he doesn't come around here."

"Yeah. Speaking of private meetings, Albus has requested your time. To clear the air. He is sincere in wanting to improve relations, Harry. Hear him out." Seeing Harry looking pensive, Bill added, "You might need him."

"Whatever." Shite.

Bill led Harry into the study, where Andromeda and Dumbledore were sitting. They seemed to be engrossed in some discussion or another. It did not appear to be either friendly or antagonistic. He heard something about Narcissa and Draco, but they stopped talking soon after he entered.

Dumbledore rose. "Harry, so good to see you. I trust you are settling in."

"Yes. Sir." Harry added 'sir' when Andromeda gave him that look.

There was a moment of awkward silence. Bill sat down near Andromeda. Good, they weren't leaving.

"So, Harry, I regret to inform you that you can no longer attend training in the Gymnasium you have been frequenting. It's simply too dangerous."

"I see." Harry was saying as little as possible.

"This shouldn't come as a surprise as Miss Tonks has already informed us that you were inclined to end your membership to protect the many individuals you have gotten to know there."

"I'm not surprised, and I planned to end my membership. I just wanted to see if you would tell me or if you would let my guardian tell me." Sorry Andromeda, but it should have come from you.

Andromeda raised one eyebrow, "I agreed to let Albus tell you, Harry. There is no need to be confrontational."

Harry looked at her, "You've never seen me 'confrontational' before." If she thought Tonks could be a handful…

Bill calmly said, "Harry…"

That shook Harry out of it. Dumbledore always brings out his worst traits. Now he was snapping at Andromeda.

Harry calmed down a bit. "Alright. Is there anything else?" Of course, there was. Why did I even ask?

Albus Dumbledore took a deep breath and sighed. "Please have a seat, Harry. I think we are overdue for a long and heartfelt conversation. To… clear the air."

"Why do we need to clear the air? I'm fine with the way things are. I'll earn my OWLs and we can go our separate ways. Headmaster, I sincerely wish I could avoid your school altogether. One week to evaluate my progress, then one week for my OWLs. After that, I may just go and live with the Dursleys until you manage to take care of Voldemort."

There was an awkward silence. This made the awkwardness of his talk with Draco seem positively jubilant in comparison.

Andromeda finally spoke up, "Harry, your magic is clearly returning, and you are the next Lord Black. Dark Lord aside, you need to get your NEWTs."

"I hear Beauxbatons has an excellent NEWT program. Why do I need to go to Hogwarts? Honestly, Andromeda. You have no idea what Hogwarts has been like for me."

Albus had learned the hard way not to press Harry when he was in a rebellious mood. "Very well. If you wish to attend Beauxbatons, I will not stand in your way. But I still think we need to clear the air. There are lives at stake and we need to learn to work together."

Harry reluctantly sat down. Maybe this would be good. He could ask the questions he really wanted to know. He had so many questions…

Dumbledore asked him a question before he could ask one of his own. "Harry, I must know, have you discussed your scar or the existence of Horcruxes with your therapist? It is crucial that we keep this secret."

"God no! We talk about my issues and dealing with the failures of so many people I trusted." Yes, it was a barbed comment.

Albus looked relieved. "I'm glad to hear that, Harry. I cannot impress on you enough how important it is that no one finds out about the existence of Voldemort's Horcruxes."

Harry decided to just dive in. "So, here's a question I'd love to know. When you caught the Deatheater listening to the prophecy about me, why did you let him go? You knew he'd return to his master and target a baby… Target me."

Dumbledore gave Harry an odd look. "Harry, where did you hear about that? Was it one of the memories your mother passed on to you? Did she think I just let the spy take the knowledge back to Voldemort?"

Harry nodded, "You needed him to. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy. And you were losing."

Albus sadly looked down a moment. "No, Harry. My brother Aberforth caught the Deatheater that was eavesdropping. I only found out after the fact. It pains me that your mother never knew that… I always assumed she knew."

"She never trusted you." Harry took note that his comment seemed to cause pain to his ex-headmaster. Good. Still, so much of her anger and his was wrapped up in the fact that they believed Albus Dumbledore had allowed the prophecy to get back to Voldemort.

"I know it was Snape. I know you shield him even though he's a Deatheater."

Dumbledore didn't say anything. Bill and Andromeda looked confused and bothered. This was obviously news to them.

Harry pressed on, "The Potions requirement for an 'Outstanding' score on the OWLs to progress to NEWT Potion studies. Why do you let that stand?"

Albus calmly smiled. He was in his grandfatherly demeanour. "Ah. No doubt you listened to your godfather's opinions. Harry, do you know that NEWT potions is the most dangerous subject at Hogwarts. The professor before Severus allowed 'Exceeds Expectations' scores into his NEWT potions and we had multiple injuries together with three fatalities. Would you be shocked to learn that since Professor Snape raised the requirement, we have yet to experience a major potions accident? You may complain about Professor Snape's teaching methods but know that I support the decision to raise the standard one hundred percent. Remember, the grading on the OWLs and the NEWTs are not overseen by Professor Snape, so there will be no favouritism shown."

Harry did not know this. "Did you know that when I first came to Hogwarts, the class I was most looking forward to was potions? Your pet Deatheater humiliated me on the first day for taking notes while he was talking. Every class and every year, he bullies and harasses the non-Slytherin students and you let it happen. You just let that man poison your programme. I seem to recall a petition I had created. It disappeared one day. Headmaster, did you steal it?"

After a long silence, Dumbledore finally answered him, "Yes. It would have resulted in Severus' termination and I couldn't let that happen. Harry, your fame can be a terrible weapon and it would have been unfair to allow you to expel the man simply because you can't get along with him."

"Are you kidding me? He harassed me! Not the other way around. And he does it to Neville too!"

Andromeda spoke up, "Albus, If Harry returns and I hear that Snape is harassing Harry unfairly, there will be repercussions." She was using her 'icy fire' tone.

For his part, Albus could just confirm his own actions. "Severus has been reprimanded. He is already on probation following the events last year. Harry, we both know how your… scar affected others. When Severus was around you, he saw your father. And let me tell you, James Potter harassed Severus Snape far more than Severus has ever harassed you."

Harry started to wonder why he was even bothering with this. Still, he wanted to point out a few more failures.

Playing on Dumbledore's last statement, Harry asked, "What about McGonagall? My father never harassed her! She was his bloody godmother for Christ's sake!" He saw Andromeda flinch at his language, but she said nothing. Harry began to realise Andromeda and Bill were here for his sake, not the other way around. Well, he kind of knew that, but seeing it was comforting.

Dumbledore kept his calm demeanour, "Your head of house has blamed herself for letting your father and his gang of Marauders run rampant at school. She believed James and Sirius pushed Severus into the service of Voldemort and her failure to curtail his activities made it her own fault. Your scar made her focus on that sad failure whenever you were around her."

Harry slammed his fist down on the arm of the chair. "Stop blaming the scar for everyone's bad behaviour! That's a cowardly cop-out and you know it! I can name plenty of people that resisted the scar's influence. Just stop." After a moment, he added, "And she's not my head of house. I don't have a house."

To his credit, that seemed to bother Dumbledore.

Andromeda took advantage of the awkward pause and asked, "What about the scar?"

Before anyone could answer, Harry turned to her and said, "It was a Horcrux. It's gone now. That's why my magic was shredded."

Andromeda looked at him in shock and horror. She then looked at Bill and then Dumbledore. "You two knew? You knew and…"

Bill said, "No, I thought it was just some kind of curse. I was researching a way to remove it. Albus suspected… but he was also looking for a way to remove it."

Harry interrupted, "Well, Voldemort removed it when he rose from the dead. It was part of the ritual. Having it torn out made the Cruciatus feel like a warm shower."

Andromeda still looked horrified. "My god. I'm so sorry…" She looked pale.

Harry calmed a bit and said, "It's alright. I survived and my magic is about a half a year from being healed up enough for regular use. In a year, I'll be at full strength."

Albus sighed, "So, the Horcrux in your scar affected everyone around you, Harry. Just in different ways. Sometimes subtle, sometimes less subtle. We still don't know what happened last year to increase its strength and its range. Even you, with all your mother's protection, were beginning to show signs of being affected."

Harry rubbed his head and cursed to himself, Shite. That again. Dumbledore has an answer for everything. No, Katie never acted out. Neither did Colin or Hermione or Ginny or Filius. Or Hagrid… Or Luna. Professor Sprout was always fair. Shite. It was the world's worst cop-out because you can't disprove it.

A long and awkward minute passed.

Harry looked up, "Hey, what about the Dursleys? If my scar was so bad, why did you put me with them? It caused them misery for ten years. And it was the wards **you** erected that made it even worse for them."

Albus looked depressed, "Yes. That was a cruel thing to do to them. I didn't see that I had a choice. We've covered this before, I think. Had I placed you with a magical family, they would have realised something was wrong and called in the Department of Mysteries. The Department of Mysteries would have found that you had a Horcrux buried in your scar and they would have put you down."

Shite. Always with his answers. Yeah, he had heard this before.

Harry decided to just start throwing out grievances. "What about with the Basilisk? You would have collaborated to steal my earned prize. Will you blame the scar for that, too?"

"No, Harry. The school needed the funds terribly. I admit that I reacted poorly. I saw an opportunity to shore up the scholarship fund that aids with the tuition for families in need of financial assistance. I would have taken fifty percent of the profit from the harvesting and placed the other fifty percent in your vault. Instead, you surprised everyone and gave away even more than I would have taken. And let's be fair, Fawkes did more than just 'help'."

Seeing Harry weighing his words, Albus added, "The way you shared the funds were both noble and inspirational. I was exceedingly impressed with your generosity. Harry, I am proud of the way you behaved. It showed a… strength of character that few twelve-year olds possess. And yes, I _am_ ashamed of my actions, but now you at least understand my point of view."

Harry made a point not to look at his twinkling eyes. "Why didn't you help Sirius? He followed you and you never even visited him in Azkaban. You never pressed for a trial."

Dumbledore stayed calm. "Another failure, I'm afraid. But that failure was hardly all on my shoulders. He openly professed his guilt when he was captured. Cackling like a madman. I was certain that if I saw the man, I'd lash out at him. I failed him, but he didn't really give me anything to work with. Yelling out 'I killed James and Lily' over and over. What would you have thought? And let's not forget that Remus and Andromeda also gave up and accepted his guilt. As did so many others. Even his own friends in the DMLE."

Harry noticed Andromeda looked ashamed. Yeah, there was plenty of guilt to go around. At least they weren't blaming the scar for that.

Harry went back to the last war. "During the war, you had a non-lethal policy. Both of my parents believe that was a major factor in the horrible failures during the first war. Why did you do that? Had the original Order used lethal curses, there wouldn't have been as many Deatheaters. The opposition certainly wasn't holding back.

At this, Albus Dumbledore seemed lost in thought for a moment. "I forget you have so many memories in your head... Harry, the Order was not a legal group. We were never part of the DMLE or Auror force. Even members from the DMLE were participating in Order activities after hours. Had we used lethal tactics; we would have been arrested. We also were fighting a political war. Had we started killing children of Wizengamot members in those pivotal early years, there would have been a significant backlash and Voldemort would have walked right in and claimed his throne. This was not a clean fight. The political minefields were… well, I admit to being in a frequent state of confusion. The traditionalist families were assaulting the progressive families politically in the Wizengamot while their children and cousins were using guerrilla tactics and killing the same families and other innocents in the streets and in their homes. Eventually, the Wizengamot members mostly realised Voldemort was not on their side and they authorised lethal force… but it was too little and too late. So many Aurors had been killed by that point. Would I do it differently this time? Yes. But hindsight is always so clear. Now that we know he's back but laying low, we can prepare. We also know about the Horcruxes… we have a _slight_ advantage. Voldemort needs funds and between you and Sirius, he has far less than he needs. He'll find supporters and funds… eventually. But it's bought us time." His eyes were not twinkling. He looked intense. This is the Wizard who fought Grindelwald.

Looking at Harry, Dumbledore shook off his intense look and added, "I believe I have just gone off on a tangent."

Harry wasn't ready to accept this version of the truth yet. "But you didn't press to have Malfoy or Crabbe, or Nott thrown in Azkaban. You let them all off. Sirius was thrown in prison, but not all those other Deatheaters."

"Harry, the Imperius defence is real. Think about Mr. Krum in the third task. You would be shocked at how many people were fighting against their will. The marked Deatheaters rode the same laws that released the victims of the Imperius curse from culpability. Yes, one in five were truly guilty, but how do you differentiate? At the end, when their cause was defeated, most Deatheaters Imperiused each other to strengthen their claims… But most of the Imperius Curse victims were innocent men and women who had no business in Azkaban. In fact, Deatheaters frequently enjoyed having their rivals killed by their own loved ones. Would you punish them? Knowing that they were already having to live with the crimes they had committed? Crimes that were frequently committed against friends and family?"

"I… no. But I tell you this, When I'm in combat with marked Deatheaters, I'll kill them all. There'll be no 'Imperius Defence' for that." Harry noticed that he had gotten everyone's attention. "You should have done the same."

Albus took another deep breath. Another awkward silence filled the room. "Perhaps. But not all Deatheaters are marked. And they don't always roll up their sleeve and show you their marks before a fight." After a moment, he added, "But there were opportunities to permanently remove some of the more dangerous members that I wish I had taken."

Harry just stared. Albus Dumbledore just admitted that he may have been too lenient…

Kreacher then showed up and brought tea and scones. "Master needs to eat."

Harry smiled, "Thank you Kreacher. What would I do without you?"

Kreacher beamed. It was obvious how attached he was becoming.

Albus Dumbledore looked tired. "Perhaps, Harry, we should focus on your time at Hogwarts. My mistakes from before you were born only serve to distract from our own interactions."

Damn, why did the man always have to be so calm?

Harry nodded, "Alright. Why did you take my knife? You let the Durmstrang students carry around their weapons, but you took mine."

Dumbledore looked confused for a moment, then said, "Your Gringotts curse-breaker knife. Yes. The one you publicly threatened to use on other students if they crossed you. The one you thrust into my staff table in front of an audience. I must confess that I thought you were baiting me there. It seemed as if you _wanted_ me to take it. Why else would have brandished it so?"

Harry couldn't help but see it from his point of view. "You just have an answer for everything, don't you?"

Dumbledore grimaced and said, "I believe we have established that I do not. But I shall return your knife. Please do not use it on Mr. Malfoy."

Despite himself, Harry snickered. Who would have imagined a year ago that he would be sharing a house with Draco Malfoy? Why was Dumbledore always two steps ahead of him? Or was this just the therapy helping him see both sides of an argument?

"You tried to force me to attend Hogwarts a few months ago. Why did you do that?"

"Yes, I wanted you to attend Hogwarts this year. I overstepped my bounds and was made painfully aware of how poorly my insistence was received. Arthur Weasley may be a calm man, but he can be very direct when he feels strongly about something. But let's not forget, I helped coordinate your home schooling and OWL preparation." With a soft sigh, he added, "I admit to pressing hard, but I thought it was in your best interests. Minerva and I worked extremely hard on a wandless magic curriculum and I were quite proud of what we managed to pull together. I also wanted to give you the opportunity to mend fences with your peers."

Harry had to fight to control his irritation. "So, after everything I went through, I should just forgive and forget. No, don't say 'the scar made them do it'. Please, I really don't buy into that."

"Whether you buy into the excuse or not, holding onto your animosity will take you to a rather dark and miserable place. I don't want you to be bitter and angry, Harry. I've seen what that can do to a person."

Seeing Harry look at him, Dumbledore continued, "My brother, whom I referenced earlier, owns the Hogs Head Inn. He was an exceptional wizard who was unfairly compared to me. No matter how much he excelled, he frequently fell short of my own performance. The bitterness of the comparison and a terrible family tragedy drove him down a road to loneliness and misery. Had he managed to overcome his bitterness and accepted who he was and that the past does not have to define us, he would have been a far happier man. He now enjoys the company of cheap Whisky and a dirty dish cloth. I'd prefer not to see you on that same path."

Harry had seen the man he suspected was Aberforth Dumbledore. He looked like an angry drunk. That was neither here nor there… back to this century. "Professor, you came to my birthday party and asked me to give up my magic. How on earth would that make me less bitter and miserable?"

"Harry, my intention at your birthday was simply to deliver your wandless curriculum and to give you the watch your parent's enchanted with their own voices. Truthfully, I hoped to repair our relationship as well. Amelia asked to come along and offer her wishes of friendship. I regret acquiescing to her request. I had no idea she would make that plea. In truth, it was not a terrible offer had your magic in fact been permanently destroyed."

Harry shook his head, "No, it would have left me a squib with no hope for recovery."

Albus raised his eyebrows, "It would have guaranteed your protection. In truth, as powerful as you are, you would have still had a magical power level that would have been about average. But your magic was believed to have been destroyed. Given that no one expected you to recover, it seemed like a good offer. I feel certain Amelia was planning to offer a marriage contract with her niece, but she wisely refrained as you did not seem receptive. Before you accepted her rapprochement, she was truly in a desperate state. Ending the alliance has shaken the Bones family terribly. Whoever drafted that contract was a brilliant individual."

Harry wasn't letting him off that easily. "You helped end the alliance. That was your fault."

"Yet another mistake on my part. Yes, I acted. However, I didn't know it had such dramatic penalty clauses. Harry, that curse never should have harmed you. It was a cramping spell and your own core should have shrugged it off with only a minor bit of discomfort. I can only surmise that the Horcrux was gaining strength and I suspect it used that curse to further isolate you. Tell me, Harry, do you really think a fourth year could create a lethal curse like that? If Ginevra fired a stinging hex at someone and they had a heart attack, should she go to Azkaban? Because that's the equivalent of what should have happened. Let's not even discuss her aptitude with her Bat Bogey hex…"

That one event was the worst thing that Harry remembered from last year. Well, that and Cho. "You could have just come and talked to me."

Dumbledore smiled in a way that was almost a smirk. "You were not in a charitable or forgiving mood. I did recommend it, though. In hindsight, I wish I had pressed harder. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I took the easy way out. Fortunately, you accepted the rapprochement, and the Bones matriarch has appeared to have calmed down. Which is good, we need her for the coming war."

There was another pregnant pause. Harry reflected that today had been one awkward encounter after another. He could see some of the logic in Dumbledore's perspective, but not all. And blaming the scar for everything was just a cop out.

Albus looked at Harry and smiled. "Now that your magic is returning, I'd like you to consider returning to Hogwarts for your sixth year. We can optimise your schedule. We have a set of suites that are set aside for visitors. You and Mr. Malfoy could stay in those quarters. I don't think putting young Mister Malfoy in the general Slytherin population would be a good thing."

Harry smirked, "Got that right. But I think I'll just home school through my NEWTs."

Dumbledore wasn't ready to give up yet. "Consider the people you are still close to, Harry. You still have friends at Hogwarts. More than you know. Those friends must interact every day with the same people you refuse to forgive. Would you let your animosity sour their own standing at Hogwarts?"

Harry groaned, "Are we back to the 'forgive and forget' suggestion?"

Dumbledore went back into his academic mode, "Harry, are you familiar with Alfred the Great?" Seeing Harry concentrate, he saw an opening, "King Alfred the Great was the king of Wessex from 871AD thru 899AD. He is credited with defending Wessex against Viking invaders that had brutally attacked England. Wessex was the only Anglo-Saxon kingdom not to fall before the invaders. His battles were hard fought and not all were won. When he finally managed a decisive victory, he required the Vikings to convert to Christianity and swear oaths of allegiance. He took the high road and enjoyed years of peace."

Harry considered this. "Wait, so Vikings came into England and attacked innocents. Then, when they lost, all they had to do was convert to Christianity? Where's the justice for their victims?"

Dumbledore smiled, "Harry, I think you're forgetting the many generations of peace that came from his act of mercy."

Harry wanted to get in one solid 'hit'. "What about the victims? What of the people the Vikings tortured and murdered? Have you ever heard of 'the Blood Eagle'? The Vikings apparently loved to use this on the people they conquered." Seeing Dumbledore flinch, he added, "Tell me this Professor Dumbledore, did Severus Snape torture and murder Marlene McKinnon? Will he ever see justice for his crimes?"

Seeing Albus sit quietly, he added, "Sirius suspected, but my mother was certain of it. Yet you shielded him. Marlene died a terrible death and you have shielded her killer." With a disgusted sneer, Harry said, "You keep too many secrets."

Albus peered over his half round glasses and calmly responded with, "I'm not the only one who keeps secrets, Harry."

— **Dance of Death 29—**

Albus soon excused himself and left. Neither Bill nor Andromeda said very much. Harry would return to Hogwarts for his evaluation in mid-February. He was looking forward to being with Ginny for Valentine's day. He was more than ready to take his NEWTs, but he knew his tutors were training him on more practical skills now. His ability to sense magic was much sharper and he could usually determine the type of charm or curse just by the feel of it. Extremely helpful in a duel. Tonks had trained up like an auror and he was able to instinctively use battle tactics and evaluations. Much of which had been honed in his fourth year. The later training built nicely on it.

— **Dance of Death 29—**

**Next up: Back to Hogwarts – And Dolores Umbridge**

**Chapter 30 will be a pivotal chapter and will have the second major tragedy. Tragedies come in threes. buckle up...**

**I am currently reading a story called '** **A Simple act of Vengeance** **' by 'Frickles'. I am greatly enjoying it. The story takes a quite different path with regards to the way Harry uses magic and it avoids a lot of the common tropes. Highly recommended.**

**I wrote this chapter to give a bit more perspective from Albus Dumbledore's point of view. I have portrayed him poorly and a viewpoint from him is overdue. He is not a villain; he just made a bunch of mistakes. My personal mistake was not realising that it was Aberforth that found Snape listening in on the prophecy. I had always believed it was Albus… Nope. That must have come from fanon and not canon. That does cast him in a gentler light as he didn't intentionally let Snape off the hook.**

**Note: Draco and Harry aren't just suddenly friends, but they are making the effort to be civil. Given their living conditions, it's only natural. One of the reasons it's possible is that this all occurs before Draco did anything too horrible. Going by canon, after the sixth year, this wouldn't have been possible. He had committed too many crimes. Cursing Katie Bell, Imperiusing Rosmerta, trying to use the Cruciatus Curse on Harry, Repairing the Vanishing cabinet… There's just no coming back from that. Harry would have left him to Greyback's tender mercies. But up until mid-fifth year, Draco was only guilty of vile talk and a few curses. Contrast that to what all of Gryffindor did and what a few Hufflepuffs did. Snape told the Slytherins to avoid Potter and most did. So here they are now. Two fifteen-year olds with no other teens to talk to… Yeah – they're trying. The fact that Harry beat the stuffing out of Draco relieved a great deal of tension.**

***The Iopos law firm is a power broking law firm. They don't make their money in law. I'll address them some time in Casting Shadows – but they take a direct interest in mages from the Denairastas family. Iopos and Denairastas is a part of the Earthdawn setting. For this story, consider it pre-recorded history.**


	30. Chapter 30

— **Dance of Death 30—**

**Harry is now firmly in place as the new Lord Black and has moved into Grimmauld Place. Lucius is in a holding cell in Azkaban for the attempted theft of Blood from the Heir of an Ancient and Most Noble house. Narcissa and Draco have also moved into Grimmauld Place and are now vassals of House Black. Draco and Harry had a limited exchange and agreed to maintain civility.**

**We ended the story with Albus Dumbledore attempt to clear the air with Harry. After presenting his perspective on a few specific events, Harry was able to understand the man better, but understanding does not mean agreement. Unfortunately, the two just don't see eye to eye.**

**The story picks up immediately after Harry's discussion with Dumbledore.**

**Special thanks to Just William for Beta Reading and helping make the story better.**

**Special thanks to KrisB-71854 for brainstorming around the Dark Mark and providing the idea of it being a 'sanity anchor'.**

— **Dance of Death 30—**

**Chapter 30: Hogwarts**

**Grimmauld Place**

**January 7, 1996**

Harry looked over at Bill and Andromeda. Albus had already left and the two wanted to talk with him. He could tell they weren't followers of the headmaster, but they also didn't seem to mind him. There was an awkwardness in the room. True to form, Bill started the discussion.

"Harry, you did a good job of keeping it together tonight… Try not to dwell on the negative. Albus Dumbledore has no hold on you and there's no point alienating the man. Especially with You-Know-Who in the periphery."

Harry stretched his back. It gave him a moment to think. "I don't want his animosity. I just don't want anything to do with him. Honestly, the man is not connected to reality and he seems to have… boundary issues. He blames my scar for everything bad that's happened."

Bill nodded, "He does have boundary issues, but he seems to be giving you space. And your scar was a Horcrux. One that did affect everyone around you. Just because people didn't attack you doesn't mean they weren't affected."

Harry pursed his lips, "I'm not going to just pretend nothing happened, Bill. I won't attack anyone, but I'm not planning to open a dialogue and start writing to people who acted like asses."

Andromeda spoke up for the first time, "Hadrian, you need to understand the difference between demeanour and nature. Between the visage you present and the one you keep hidden. Appear to be magnanimous and above it all. When you have the opportunity, you can decide if, when, and how you wish to collect on any debts incurred." Pausing a moment, she added, "You are the heir of an Ancient and Most Nobel house. Soon, you will be in a position to collect far more debts than you currently realise."

Harry stared at his new guardian. That was profound. Basically, act neutral and decide later if you want to get even. "Lady Black, you make a very good point." A Slytherin.

Andromeda had a soft smile. "Thank you, Heir Black. Now, Mrs. Weasley brought over some treacle tart that needs devouring." Harry realised that this was the side of Andromeda that only her family saw. She was cunning like a snake, but warm to those closest to her.

— **DoD—**

The next week Harry was back in training. He was still focusing on survival skills, but Draco was now getting OWL tutoring as well. That meant Remus, Tonks, Bill, and Andromeda were having to help Draco prepare for his OWLs when they weren't training Harry. Ironically, Harry frequently would chime in and show Draco the correct way to cast certain charms. He had been tutored by his mother for over a decade and she was a gifted Charms mistress.

The one great surprise was Narcissa suddenly training Harry on the other Traditionalist families. It was officially a part of his etiquette training, but they both knew what it really was. A listing of Deatheaters and pertinent details about them. Where they live, where they eat, how they fight and what matters most to them. Know thy enemy. Another surprise was Draco's affinity for healing spells. Andromeda had been impressed and proclaimed him as gifted being in the healing arts.

On Tuesday, Harry met with Dr. Gaines and Harry discussed the changes made since the will reading and how he felt about living with Draco. He admitted that beating the teen to a bloody pulp and having Draco's life in his hands had been therapeutic. He enjoyed putting the smarmy Bastard in his place… but he was nowhere near ready to just forgive and forget. That led into a discussion on his conversation with Dumbledore.

Harry avoided calling his scar a Horcrux and referred to it as a 'cursed scar'. To his surprise, Dr. Gaines seemed to agree with much of what Dumbledore had said. She said his insight had merit and closing oneself off after a loss could be terrible if you never opened up again. They then talked about the effects of Harry's anger toward other classmates on Ginny, Neville, and Hermione.

Harry knew they were running the new defence study group and had become friends with a lot of people that he had no use for. He just wasn't ready to forgive or forget. So, he and Dr. Gaines talked about Andromeda's advice. Harry admitted to liking it, but he had trouble hiding his feelings. He lacked the ability to mask his emotions and feign indifference.

Dr. Gaines presented a novel idea focused on how to use occlumency to feign indifference. Harry had no idea she knew about occlumency, but she was a squib… so it stood to reason she would understand how it worked. Still, learning to mask your anger seemed a bit different than learning to deal with it. But he could get on board. For Ginny's sake. Dr. Gaines even made a joke about using it for poker.

On Wednesday, Harry met the new potions tutor, Horace Slughorn. He was a rotund and jovial man who seemed to really enjoy teaching. He insisted Harry join his lessons with Draco in their studies, saying it never hurts to know the difference between a pepper-up and dreamless sleep potion. Harry liked the man, but he really didn't want to study potions. Harry eventually lied and said Draco was more advanced. When that didn't work, Harry claimed he didn't have an advanced Potions book. Professor Slughorn just laughed and handed Harry a well-used one.

The book he was given was full of notations and altered potion instructions. Apparently, it once belonged to an old student of his. It was rather good. Reading the inside, it apparently once belonged to someone called 'the Half Blood Prince'. It reminded him of the help him mum would give him. Slughorn also hinted at being good friends with Harry's mum and he seemed to recall her mentioning him in his dreamscape. Despite himself, he started to enjoy brewing potions. It relaxed him the way cooking and gardening did.

In his 'survival training', Tonks and Bill had taken to firing stinging hexes at him while blindfolded. The idea was for Harry to track the incoming hexes and avoid them. He had a decent success rate. Unfortunately, it was never easy to stay on the defensive without ever going on the offensive. He always ended these practices with numerous stings. But he was getting better. Bill continued his aggressive training in curse breaking and Harry was certain he'd be able to pass the Journeyman test by the end of the term. Hell, he could probably pass it right now… He just needed the time in the field to qualify.

— **Dance of Death 30—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**January 13, 1996**

**Friday Evening**

Harry had wrapped up his training for the day and went upstairs to shower and change. Coming downstairs, he heard a commotion. Albus Dumbledore was trying to calm down a room full of people. This must be a meeting of the Order… something happened. Harry looked over and saw Andromeda in Ted's arms. Tonks had her hand on Andromeda's back and was trying to calm her. Looking further, he saw Draco and Narcissa looking quite uncomfortable. Something was up.

Harry didn't want to bother the Tonks family, so he approached the Malfoys. "Lady Malfoy. Draco. What's happened?" Harry felt a sense of dread rising. Hopefully, his friends were alright. Whatever had happened must have been bad.

Narcissa looked paler than normal. "Heir Black, there's been a breakout at Azkaban. Eleven Deatheaters have escaped, including my sister."

Harry waited to hear if there was more. As bad as this was, clearly something else had happened. But nothing else was said.

Harry finally asked, "What else? How many people were killed?"

Narcissa shook her head slightly, "I don't know. But… these were the worst of the Deatheaters. And my sister was the Dark Lord's top assassin. Nothing good will come of this."

It suddenly dawned on Harry just how bad this was. Not only had Voldemort just broken out his top killers, but he was signalling the beginning of the war. Additionally, Draco had used Bellatrix's vault to increase the value of the collateral for his duel with Harry. No chance in hell of her being pleased to hear it was now Harry's. Bellatrix would be looking for blood when she realised her fortune was gone.

Harry had a sudden realisation. "But, after a decade or more in Azkaban, how formidable can they be? It took Sirius more than a year to recover and he had an Animagus form to hide in. He also had professional help. I know your sister was dangerous, but she's months away from being able to hold her own, right?"

Draco shook his head, "You-Know-Who has ways of 'restoring' people. Mostly blood magic and other illegal rituals, but Professor Snape is probably having to brew nutrition potions as well. Trust me, he'll have them back in form within a month."

Harry thought a moment and asked, "So why didn't anyone think to do that for Sirius?" If it was that easy…

Narcissa looked Harry in the eye and level set him. "Because the Dark Lord's methods will ruin you. Mentally and physically, the recipients of these rituals will never be the same. The blood rituals may give you increased strength and speed, but you'll only live a muggle lifespan. Most likely even less. Sterility is normal and insanity, to differing degrees, is expected as well. I've seen you train, Heir Black. You're fast, but only humanly so. You seem to have a near precognitive ability to sense attacks, but you still move at human speed. A fast human, but human, nonetheless. Bellatrix moves like demon. Quick bursts of unearthly speed. There's no grace to her, just explosions of motion. The Dark Lord enhanced her, but he also ruined her. I visited her once in Azkaban and was shocked at what she had become. She was once so beautiful. She was so graceful…"

Harry could see the pain in Narcissa's face. "Lady Malfoy, how formidable is she? Is she really _that_ dangerous?"

"Yes, she is "that" dangerous. There are very few could stand against her. She moves so fast; she literally tears herself apart and requires healing draughts after every battle. She feels no pain, either… she just keeps fighting. Your father was one of the few who could face her… Sirius could possibly hold his own… but that was in his prime. The Dark Lord performed numerous blood rituals on Bella to make her his perfect servant. I suspect it was punitive for something she or he husband did or failed to do."

Harry could tell both she and Draco were haunted by this. Had Bellatrix become a warning to those disloyal or with an independent streak? Did Narcissa fear this would be done to her as well? Or more likely, to Draco?

Narcissa added, "Whatever he did to her, it ended the primary line for the Lestrange family and drove her utterly insane. She went from being proud of her heritage* to being a fanatical blood purist. To make matters worse, she has vowed to purify the Black family." She said that while looking over at her sister.

Harry realised this was why Andromeda was so upset. Ted was a muggle born and Nymphadora was a half-blood. Based on what Narcissa had said, Bellatrix would stop at nothing to kill Andromeda's family.

Harry quietly said, "She must hate Aunt Andromeda…"

Narcissa looked surprised for a moment, "No, Heir Black. She loved Andi more than anyone else alive. Her desire to kill Edward and Nymphadora come from love and adoration. She thinks she's _saving_ her beloved sister." Seeing Harry's shock, she added, "Andi and Bella were so close… they even looked alike. I always was the third sister… they were very much like the Weasley twins. So perfect." And she became silent.

Harry looked back at Draco and Narcissa. "Thank you."

Harry approached the Tonks family. Andromeda had clearly been crying.

Harry waited until they looked over at him. "Aunt Andromeda, maybe you guys should move in completely. At least for a while. Dobby and Pipsey can help move your things… I'll give you the master suite…"

She looked at Harry and smiled. "No Harry. The second guest suite will be fine. Thank you." After a brief pause, she straightened up and collected herself. She then said in a quiet voice, "We appreciate and accept your offer of sanctuary and protection."

Harry thought about her words for a moment, then realised she was following pureblood etiquette. The head of a house can offer sanctuary and protection and the other family members can request it. Even when she was scared, Andromeda was still trying to teach him.

Harry focused a moment and said, "Pipsey! Dobby! Kreacher!" He was rewarded with three pops. Not wanting to hear all the 'master-this and master-that', Harry just started talking.

"Kreacher, the Tonks family will be moving in soon for an extended period. Pipsey and Dobby, please help them pack." After a brief pause, he added, "And remember, Kreacher is the Black House Elf… so, he should be consulted before… Things are done. Inside the house." Awkward. Still, Harry knew how territorial House Elves could be. Kreacher seemed to appreciate this and Pipsey and Dobby did not seem to mind.

The Tonks family soon departed and promised to pack up and move in. Nymphadora went with them for protection, but nothing was likely to occur today. Considering what Draco had said, Voldemort would need at least a week or two before his followers were ready for action. Harry still thought it was unlikely, but Narcissa had agreed with him.

The Order meeting soon broke up and Bill approached Harry. "Harry, we need your help with something. Do you have a minute?"

Harry nodded and was brought into the dining room. This is the room the Order frequently uses for their meetings. The only current occupant was Albus Dumbledore. The other members had apparently rushed out upon hearing the news of the breakout.

Dumbledore smiled kindly, "Harry, I have a few requests to make. If you have a moment…"

Harry steeled himself, "What can I do for you, sir?"

"With the recent breakout, I fear certain members of the order are in danger. Specifically, the Weasley family. The Burrow only has one minor ley line close enough to power its wards and Rookwood would have no problem overcoming it."

Harry glanced at Bill and noted his closest friend and mentor didn't disagree.

Dumbledore continued, "I have suggested they move somewhere more secure. With your permission, I'd like to move them into Grimmauld Place. They would, of course need access beyond the first floor."

Harry couldn't see any issues here. There had to be more… "I don't have any issue with that whatsoever, headmaster." But he knew there was more. What aren't you saying old man?

Dumbledore added with exaggerated calmness, "I think it would be appropriate for you to allow the Weasley's into one of the larger rooms. Perhaps the master suite or the one Lady Malfoy is inhabiting."

And there it was. Dumbledore wanted to shift the Blacks out of the best rooms. Harry considered this for a moment. He was not about to give the Weasleys full run of the house. He really cared for them, but between the mischief of the twins and the overbearing ways of Mrs. Weasley… no way, not happening. And the Library wards were not being opened. He had already overheard Mrs. Weasley discussing how all those 'dark tomes should be destroyed'.

Harry turned on his inner Slytherin, "Professor, I'll see to it they have an appropriate room. Lady Black can determine the specifics of how the house is managed, she'll be moving in with her family as well. I'll alert Kreacher to the changes."

Albus was quiet for a moment, then added, "I'd like to add in a Fidelius Charm to improve the security."

Harry knew the Fidelius was the best possible security, but he also knew many of the Black wards would have to be turned down or even completely off for it to be effective.

"I see, as long as I have a say in who will be the secret keeper, that sounds like a good plan. Was there something else?"

Dumbledore smiled gently and said, "Yes, Harry. It seems I need a Parselmouth to destroy the locket. Given the recent breakout, I think it prudent. I'd also like to gain access to the content of Bellatrix Lestrange's vault."

Now Harry had his measure. "What are you looking for in Bellatrix's vault?"

Bill now spoke up, "Can't you guess, Harry? If You-Know-Who entrusted one Horcrux to Lucius, it stands to reason he gave the other to Bellatrix. Albus and I both think there could be another one there."

After a moment, Harry agreed. "Right. Alright. I want to be there, and I want Andromeda with me. The content was moved to the Black Vault and I want a Black to help identify anything that isn't part of the family."

Bill nodded, "Right, Harry. Since you can sense them, you definitely need to be there."

Harry noticed Albus was just quietly watching. Maybe he wanted to see what else was there. Then again, maybe it was just his imagination…

The group went down to the basement and cleared the floor. Dumbledore cast a few charms to secure a circular area about eight feet in diameter. The Locket was placed in the middle. Harry suddenly remembered Kreacher's tale. How he had tried and tried to destroy it, but he just couldn't so it.

Harry called out, "Kreacher!"

When the elf appeared, he asked, "Kreacher, we're going to destroy the locket Regulus gave you now. Do you want to watch?"

Kreacher looked stunned and vulnerable, then simply croaked out, "Yes, master…"

Harry had him stand on the side. Dumbledore opened the bag he had been carrying and extracted the Sword of Gryffindor. He looked over at Harry and said, "Tell it to open now Harry. In Parseltongue."

Harry nodded and said, _§Open§._

Immediately, the locket opened, and a dark figure rose. Harry expected it to be Voldemort, but it was a young woman. She was begging and pleading with Dumbledore.

" _Please Albie, don't kill me. Please, Albie…"_

Dumbledore wavered for a moment, then struck. As the sword made contact, there was a piercing scream that Harry knew would haunt his dreams for months. It was full of malevolence and hatred. It was vile and disgusting in every conceivable smoke billowed forth and Harry could taste the putrid and disgusting 'flavour' of it. This was, without a doubt, a Horcrux.

As the smoke cleared, Harry rushed to a corner and vomited. Kreacher had reacted quickly and a bucket was summoned for him. Once his stomach was empty, Harry looked up. Both Bill and Dumbledore were shaken. Dumbledore had tears in his eyes.

Bill walked over and placed his hand on the back of Harry's neck. "Harry, are you alright?"

Collecting himself, Harry said, "Yes. But the stench… My god, will it ever fade?" It was still there.

Bill and Dumbledore exchanged a look. The headmaster said, "Harry, there's no smell. It's the corrupt magic you're sensing. I suspect you are more sensitive to it than most…"

Kreacher croaked, "Master needs to leave this room. Kreacher smells it too. Master needs… rest."

Harry said, "Wait. He walked over and picked up the charm. It was dead now. "Kreacher, once this has had time to air out, you can have it. To remember Master Regulus."

Dumbledore sighed, but nodded. He obviously didn't agree. Harry knew the locket was once Slytherin's and it was likely worth a fortune, even with a gash through it. Still, Kreacher had earned it.

They climbed the stairs and Harry went straight to bed. They could work out the living arrangement the next day. He walked through his occlumency exercises and filed away the different parts of his day. He was exhausted and it had been weeks since he had visited his parents in his Dreamscape. He needed them tonight.

As the memories were separated and reviewed, he gained the kind of clarity that comes with occlumency. Whoever the woman that the locket used to affect Dumbledore, she had been important. He also realised that Dumbledore hadn't expected him to allow the Weasley's so easily to move in. The play for the Master Suite was more a play to get Harry to move into another room and bunk with others, likely Ron. Occlumency had made a huge difference in Harry's ability to read others, especially the Headmaster. As Harry drifted off, he considered how apt the title 'Headmaster' was. Always with the head games.

**—DoD—**

As Harry fell asleep, his awareness slowly formed in his dreamscape. He was back in the forest on the path he knew well. Waiting for him was Rose. It seemed odd that he hadn't seen Oakheart. He could sense him but hadn't met him.

Rose smiled with her blood red lips showing her sharp teeth. She was so beautiful and so terrible. "You'll meet him soon enough my young friend. On the Beltane."

Young friend? That was new. Harry stared at her. "What's the Beltane?" Wasn't it a druidic date? He had other questions but wasn't ready to ask them.

"The first of May. That is the point where the Seelie Court rises to pre-eminence. From Samhain until the Beltane, the Unseelie is in full force. That's why you're here with me now and not Oakheart."

Harry considered this. He knew Rose completed the cycle and allowed Oakheart to heal him. He also knew he was critical to purifying Oakheart and restoring the cycle. How he was doing this, he couldn't say.

"Walk with me, Harry." She held out her hand. As Harry took it, her thorns stabbed into his palm. It stung, but it felt normal. Natural may be a better word for it.

"Are you taking me to see my parents?"

"All in due time." With a deep breath she said, "Can you feel how clean your magic is? I could just drink it in. Correction, I _am_ just drinking it in. You are almost a third of the way healed, Harry, but the process can be sped up."

Harry wondered what the catch was. "How?"

"Merge with me completely. Feel my thorns and know the exquisite pain that accompanies my kiss. It will pierce and tear you from the inside out. Your blood and pain will accelerate the healing tremendously. Days will be as weeks and weeks will be as months. You will be mostly healed in a lunar cycle."

That sounded too good to be true. And that meant it came with catches. "Magic is never free."

"No, it's not. You must learn to pay attention Harry. Your blood will accelerate the rebuilding of your magical core. Within two lunar cycles you will be fully healed. Yes, you will be in agony for a year and a day... But even in agony, you will find clarity. _That_ is the price of power."

Harry considered this. He just needed to wait a bit… take things slowly and have a pain free recovery. His parents had said he would be fully healed in about a year, and that was months ago. Why be in pain? Why a year and a day? Who makes these rules?

Rose laughed, "A year and a day is a standard price for Blood Magic. The rules of magic are set by magic herself." Moving in closer, she said, "When you make up your mind, I'll be here. Just don't wait too long… This is Wyld magic. Unseelie magic. The offer ends on the Beltane."

With that, Rose stepped away and off the path. She gave Harry a wink and dissolved into the forest. Yeah, that's not creepy at all. Not one bit. She heard him thinking… but they were both inside his mind, so it made sense. Looking down at his throbbing hand, he noted numerous bleeding puncture wounds from her thorns. When he looked up, he was at his parent's home in his Dreamscape. The porch light was on, smoke was rising from the chimney, and he could smell something in the oven cooking.

Harry was greeted at the door by the incarnations of his parents. They welcomed him in, and the family had dinner together. Harry shared all the events that had occurred since his last visit as well as the meeting with Rose. His parents already knew about the last month's events, but Rose was a surprise. James complimented Harry on trouncing Draco but admitted that it was a huge gamble. Lily agreed with her husband, but she had advised against it from the beginning. She was even more shocked to learn that it was Aberforth that caught Snape eavesdropping at the Hogs Head, but she still didn't trust Dumbledore.

Eventually the subject turned to the escaped Death Eaters. James was most nervous about Bellatrix. He admitted that the only way he could beat her was to keep her off guard and distracted with illusions and transfiguration.

He further said, "Harry, she's a killing machine. Faster than any human has any right to be, maniacally insane, unbelievably accurate with her wand… Don't even try to match her wand to wand, you'll lose. But keep her distracted and chasing shadows. Eventually she'll tire herself out. Those explosions of unearthly speed come at a steep price and that price will be paid. Where she's concerned, draw the fight out. Her stamina is far less than most realise."

Her mother chimed in with, "Don't let yourself focus too much on her, either. The Lestrange brothers are devious and dangerous. Rookwood is downright brilliant. Keep moving and stay alert. Staying in motion is so important against the Lestrange trio. Once you settle into a predictable pattern, they'll cut you down."

Harry ran his hand through his hair. "Suddenly the loss of money doesn't seem like such a blow…"

James put his hand on Harry's shoulder, "It will prevent this from becoming a political war. Well, mostly. The Deatheaters and sympathisers simply can't afford to bribe their way into positions of control. Trust me Harry, it mattered."

James then took Harry aside and continued his knowledge transfer with Harry on Illusion magic. He really focused on space and time movements and the theory behind the switching charms. He finished up with a review on transfiguration and how it dovetailed nicely into illusionistic arcana. When Harry finally awoke, he knew he had learned a great deal. This is how his mum would have trained him if the Horcrux hadn't constantly been interfering with the knowledge transfer. This is how an incarnation was supposed to work. He dearly wished he could do this every night, but he'd settle for every other week. For now.

**—DoD—**

Saturday morning came and Harry sent letters to his friends at Hogwarts. While his letter to Ginny was the longest – as usual… His letter to Neville was the most emotional. Harry knew how much Neville hated the Lestrange family members. Especially Bellatrix. He could only offer his words of comfort and friendship. Hopefully, Neville would keep himself together.

After his letters were written, he met with Andromeda to discuss the future living arrangements. Harry was moved into Regulus' room on the fourth floor. He had wanted Sirius' room, but Remus was already in that room and he didn't have the heart to ask him to move. Also, Kreacher insisted. Since the destruction of the locket, he began to near idolise Harry. Kreacher was like an older and creepier version of Dobby.

Space would get a great deal tighter during the spring and summer holidays, but Harry didn't mind bunking with someone else. He had mostly worked past the sting of Ron's betrayal for Ginny and Bill's sake, but he wasn't sure he wanted to bunk with him. The Declaration of Eiectio still bothered him. And no, the scar wasn't completely to blame… although it may have been a factor. He just couldn't be friends with someone who was that jealous of him. For the thousandth time, Harry wondered which twin sided with him and which against…

Andromeda agreed that Harry needed to give up the larger suite given current conditions, but she also agreed that the master suite should go to her and Ted. The Weasleys could have the guest suite Andromeda had originally planned to take. Apparently, there was an internal ward scheme that would prevent books from being taken out of the library without a family ring. It was simple enough to turn on and it would prevent anyone from borrowing books that should stay put. It was not a strong ward, but it would at least alert Harry and Andromeda through their rings if it were broken. The Fidelius would not affect that ward.

By the end of the weekend, it was all set up. Harry was in Regulus' room and the Tonks' were in the Master Suite. The attic was a functional gymnasium and The Weasleys were ready to move in. There was talk around using the Attic to store the Weasley's things, but Andromeda refused, saying the gym was critical to Harry's training. She suggested muggle storage and offered to foot the bill. Molly seemed to bristle a bit but accepted that this was Andromeda's house and the two got along fine.

Harry noted she had never been this deferent with Sirius. Odd how two women can respect each other's territory, but no one seemed to respect Sirius' space. Odd and annoying.

On Monday, Andromeda sent Kreacher to the vault to see if he could locate a Horcrux. She did not like the idea of letting non-family members comb through the Black Vault. There were just too many questionable objects and she felt that Albus Dumbledore was a little too eager. She didn't expect him to pilfer anything, but she also didn't want him pressuring her ward to destroy or turn over any objects. The man knew how to manipulate…

Kreacher returned with a bag containing a cup that bore the crest of Helga Hufflepuff. It wasn't hard to determine what this was. The cup of Helga Hufflepuff was a legendary treasure and both Kreacher and Harry could feel the corruption on it. Dumbledore was summoned and he once more brought Bill in to destroy the object. This time, Harry stayed upstairs, but he could still 'feel' the object being destroyed. Progress.

Harry, Andromeda, Bill, and Dumbledore had a brief meeting to discuss the current count of Horcruxes. The diary, the locket, Harry's scar, and now the cup had been destroyed. Four down.

Dumbledore looked old. The last object had taken a lot out of him. "I had hoped nothing would be found. In truth, three is a magical number and it would have been a good place for Voldemort to have ceased creating such dangerous objects."

Harry asked what he thought was an obvious question, "Why stop at three? Why not make hundreds?"

Bill winced and Andromeda looked ill.

Albus calmly answered, "The creation of each Horcrux splits the soul in two. Making three would leave Voldemort with approximately one eighth of his own soul. I suspect the dark mark somehow acts as a sanity stabiliser. Keeping him sane enough to function… but more than three?"

Everyone was quiet for a moment, considering the consequences of splitting a person's soul that many times.

Albus eventually shook his head, "There are limits, Harry. If Voldemort created seven, the next magical number in the western culture, his soul would be reduced to less than one percent of its natural size. Perhaps he found a way to make smaller cuts… But I don't see how that would be possible. It must be the dark mark that is the stabilising factor in his pattern. But even then… If he created seven, I am shocked he hasn't begun to physically destabilise… No, Harry. Seven would be the limit, and only with the aid of the dark mark on numerous witches and wizards to keep him stable. We just don't know if he made seven. Other cultures treat other numbers as magical… If only we could verify it."

Harry had a question that he thought was obvious, "Professor, if he used the soul shard in my scar, wouldn't that have added back the soul fragment to his own? Making him more whole… Perhaps he has created more now."

Dumbledore seemed to consider it, "Perhaps it did increase his own soul slightly, but it would meld like scar tissue. He would no longer be able to split that which was once split. The shard in your scar was also very tiny. Had he used the diary; he may have been able to split it again… We have no real way of knowing." After a moment, he added, "I have never heard of anyone making a Horcrux after being merged back with a soul fragment. But this is all conjecture. To know for certain would require experimentation. And I have no desire to do that."

Harry found that troubling. No more than seven were believed possible and four were already destroyed. He probably hasn't created an eighth… "Professor, I think the snake may be a Horcrux… He was so protective of it in the graveyard. And it was corrupt, magically speaking."

Bill appraised Harry's statement, "Did it feel like the locket or the cup, Harry?"

Harry shrugged, "I was pretty distracted, but it was vile. Yeah, I guess it did. I need a pensieve to be certain, but I'm quite sure."

Dumbledore seemed encouraged by this. "So, two more. Perhaps… The cave Kreacher describes sounds like a place from Riddle's childhood. The diary was created within Hogwarts. I'll start looking in places that meant something to him. Alternately, I will investigate the followers he trusted the most. I expect there were very few of them."

Bill hesitantly added, "Albus, don't try to collect them on your own. Curse-breakers work in groups for a reason. Call me if you think you've located one and Remus and I can back you up. _Please_."

Albus simply nodded. Harry exchanged a subtle look with Bill, they both had concerns and Harry doubted Dumbledore would call anyone. But you never know.

— **DoD—**

Over the next two weeks, the library was converted into a classroom and only teachers and students were allowed in during home schooling. Harry found that Draco was a good student. Yes, Harry knew a great deal more, thanks to his parent's incarnations, but still, Draco took his studies seriously. The rare and darker tomes were locked in a cabinet to keep wandering eyes out. Yes, some of the darker tomes were dangerous, but they were still part of the Black family's legacy.

While most of the classes were held in the library, there were exceptions. One exception was when Harry was dodging curses and the other was when they were taking potions classes in the basement. Harry found he really liked Slughorn and enjoyed hearing stories about his mother. His mother's incarnation had passed on most of her knowledge on potions, but Harry enjoyed hearing a different perspective.

On February second, the Fidelius was raised in a six-hour ritual and Remus was named as the secret keeper. Harry thought it was fitting since he was once passed over for Pettigrew. The older marauder was nearly in tears when he was asked. In a week, Harry and Draco would return to Hogwarts for their 'check in'.

— **Dance of Death 30—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**Black Library**

**February 11, 1996**

**Sunday Evening**

The next week went by quickly with Harry and Draco falling into a good study rhythm. The weekend before their check in, Harry used Hedwig to send letters to his friends and instructed her to stay there and wait for him. Despite everything that happened, he was excited to go back and see the people he cared about. After his third session with Dr. Gaines, he was able to maintain a neutral face, but he just hoped it wouldn't crumble if he were pressed.

Draco seemed extremely nervous. The news of his duel had made the gossip circles and he would have to face the children of Deatheaters. He hoped none of his friends were now under the influence of the Dark Lord. He wouldn't wish that on anyone. Assurances were made for both his and Harry's safety, but he was still nervous. What if someone wanted to exact revenge for his failure. Who would stand beside him if he were targeted? He knew his mother was nervous as well, but this had to be done.

As the two approached the library fireplace, they looked over their trunks. Tonks was going along to provide extra security. Andromeda and Narcissa would only be going along to get them settled. Harry was satisfied but noticed Draco was hesitating.

"Draco, is everything alright?" They were on a first name basis now. It made things easier given how closely they worked together while home schooling. Who was Malfoy? Narcissa or Draco? Who was Harry? Potter, Black, or Heir Black? Heir Potter? Easier to just go with first names. It was a familiarity stretch, but they both seemed alright with it.

"I just don't know what to expect. There will be some that think I intentionally lost the duel. Others will think I was beaten, but that just makes me a failure." He was silent for maybe ten seconds, then said, "I can't count on any friends or allies if things turn ugly."

Harry knew exactly what that was like. "Well, you're my Bannerman, so I guess that means we have to look after each other. Right?" Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Draco's mother and she looked very relieved at his statement.

Draco smirked and said, "I'm not wearing a tiara." They both laughed at that.

They all then used the floo to travel straight to the Headmasters office.

— **Dance of Death 30—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmasters Office**

**Eleven PM**

Emerging from the fireplace, they were met by the headmaster and his four heads of house. Headmaster Dumbledore was smiling, Professor McGonagall look pensive, Professors Flitwick and Sprout were excited, and Professor Snape was brooding and anxious. Off to the side was Dolores Umbridge and two Students. Harry recognised both students. One was a member of the Slytherin Quidditch team. He wasn't one of the players that would cheat. The other was Percy's Girlfriend Penelope. Hopefully, she came to her senses and dropped the prat.

Dumbledore addressed the group, "On behalf of myself, the faculty, and the student body, allow me to welcome back two of our most promising students and their immediate families."

Tonks spoke before anyone else could, "Thank you headmaster. I'd like to see the living quarters as soon as possible."

Dolores Umbridge cleared her throat. "I believe both students know where their dormitories are Miss Tonks. Their prefects can escort them from here."

Harry just said, "No. We'll be in a suite or we'll relocate to Hogsmeade. Or we'll just leave and make arrangements with another school." He wasn't playing any of their games.

Before the situation could escalate, Dumbledore interrupted Dolores' rebuttal. "Yes, yes. As visiting students and the Heirs of multiple houses, you will be given a guest suite per the Hogwarts bylaws."

Umbridge looked like she had just eaten a rotten lemon. "Very well. Do behave while you are on the school grounds, Mr. Potter." Harry noted that she didn't address Draco with her warning. What a bitch. Or as Ginny had called her, an 'Umbitch'.

Andromeda stepped forward. "Dolores, it's been too long. I'm certain you will find my ward to be quite well mannered. Now, it's been a long day…" She managed to deliver her greeting in a way that could easily cause frost bite.

Harry always suspected the Black women practiced their icy stares and insults with each other and in the mirror. Especially that single raised eyebrow. He was now glad he didn't curse at the woman. Hermione's letters had warned him about her. She was vile and vindictive. Watching her around Andromeda, he realised was also a bit afraid of his magical guardian.

After a slight stumble on her words, Dolores Umbridge smiled and simply said, "Naturally." Her eyes didn't look as confident as she tried to sound.

The group was led to a guest suite near the Ravenclaw Tower. It had one large master bedroom on the left and the right had a short hall leading to a secondary bedroom and a small bathroom with a shower. The master bedroom had a large full bathroom and the secondary bedroom was near a small bathroom with a shower. They were separated by a small common area with a desk on each side and a sofa. There was a window and a stand set up for Hedwig. It was functional.

As they entered, Tonks told Harry and Draco, "Settle in boys, you're bunking together in the secondary room. I'll take the master suite with the attached bathroom."

They quickly settled in and Harry and Draco ended up in bunk beds. The headmaster had to transfigure them as he had assumed Tonks would be in a different suite. She made a point of wanting to keep an eye on the pair. Narcissa and Andromeda left together and soon they were settled in.

The lights were out, and Harry was practicing his occlumency. Then he heard, "Harry? Where do you plan to eat breakfast tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Probably the great hall. I plan to meet Ginny and Hermione there as soon as it opens. Neville probably too." After a moment, Harry realised what Draco was really asking. "Hey, you should join us. We can sit at the Ravenclaw table. You know, neutral ground."

Draco was quiet for a minute, then just said, "Thanks."

Harry thought how hard it would be to come back in his position. Not only was he a 'vassal' of his old rival, but he was likely considered a traitor by the blood purists. Some of his old friends would openly scorn and mock him. It may be a little like what Harry had gone through last year.

"Hey, Draco? Why don't we stick together this week? You know, watch each other's back." Harry decided to open up and go a bit further, "Did you know I was almost killed last year? In the middle of the courtyard. And yet, no one saw who did it."

Draco was quiet for a while, then said, "Well, it wasn't me. I told you I never hexed you when you didn't have your wand."

Harry snapped back, "That's not what I meant!" Did he have his wand?

Draco calmly asked, "Then what _did you_ mean?"

"Oh, forget it." Harry then added, "Prat."

Draco chuckled and fell asleep with a smile. He could still wind Harry up.

— **Dance of Death 30—**

**Hogwarts Great Hall**

**February 12, 1996**

**6:15AM**

Harry and Draco came down early to beat the main student body. Neither teen really wanted to see crowds of people. As they came down, they were both quiet. Harry knew he had perhaps an hour before the main student population filed in. Tonks was with them and she was not happy about being up so early. At first, she was angry, but one look told her that neither boy was feeling greatly confident now. She remembered her own time at Hogwarts. It wasn't always sunshine and happiness. Dumbledore was probably planning a big and embarrassing introduction. She agreed to get up early today, but not the rest of the week.

So, two apprehensive teens and one irritated Auror crept into the great hall. It was near empty and only Professors Flitwick and Sprout were at the faculty table. They both perked up when they saw the trio enter. Harry waved enthusiastically. He and Professor Flitwick were tight. Professor Sprout had always treated him fairly.

Seeing the professors, he knew and liked, Harry felt a sense of familiarity. It was nice. He hadn't felt like this since his third year… that seemed so long ago. Draco sat down at the Ravenclaw table with Tonks at the end. Harry sat across from Draco. Soon, a full English breakfast appeared before them and they began to dig in.

A remarkably familiar voice then rang out, "Harry!"

Harry looked up and saw Ginny and Hermione. He got up and quickly walked toward them, only to have Ginny sprint into his arms. He buried his face in her red hair and held her tight. It had only been a little more than a month, but it seemed like an eternity. Her hair smelt so good…

"I've missed you so much, Ginny."

She nuzzled in closer, "I've missed you too, Harry."

Then Hermione gave him a friendly hug. They all soon joined him at the Ravenclaw table. Draco was quiet but avoided any insulting remarks. Luna soon joined the group along with Neville. They had effectively taken over the bottom section of the Ravenclaw table, usually where the first years sit. Harry hoped to be out of there before seven to avoid the crowd, but that now seemed unlikely.

Hermione found an opening and asked, "So, what's on your schedule today?"

Harry answered, "Today we both have Arithmancy and Herbology evaluations. Draco has Potions and Charms in the afternoon."

Draco looked up and asked, "Wait, why aren't you taking potions?" Harry was taking the same tutoring sessions with Slughorn that he was…

Harry shrugged, "I don't plan to get my OWL in potions. I just want to get the minimum and move on."

Draco didn't let it go, "Then why are you taking the classes with Slughorn?"

Harry realised he really did like potions. Maybe he'd take the OWL just for fun, he knew he'd pass it. With ease. But taking the OWLs didn't require this 'check in'. He'd just submit the application and show up in June to take it.

Harry gave a shrug with his answer. "I like Professor Slughorn. He knew my mother and I like hearing the stories. But I have no intention of sitting through a review with Snape."

Hermione corrected him, " _Professor_ Snape, Harry."

"No, Hermione. He's not _my_ Professor. Not after he killed my snake."

The table grew uncomfortably quiet after that.

Luna asked, "What does the rest of your week look like, Harry?" Harry had forgotten how lyrical Luna's voice was.

"Well, tomorrow we have Ancient Runes and Astronomy. Draco will take Transfiguration in the afternoon. Then we have Muggle Studies and History of Magic. Draco's skipping Muggle Studies but takes Defence at the same time. Then, Thursday morning we meet with our career councillors and head back to London." Harry thought for a minute and added, "I have no idea who my career counsellor will be. I may just skip it and hang out with Hagrid."

Hermione actually gasped, "Harry, you have to go to your counselling session. It's where you plan out your academic path."

Harry exchanged a brief glance with Draco. Draco managed to hold back a smile.

"Actually, Hermione, I plan to drop out." Seeing her stunned look, he added, "Really, I don't need to get a job and I have enough money… I plan to focus on the war effort."

Hermione's cheeks began to turn red. She was holding in a massive lecture. Ginny picked up on it and diverted the discussion.

The youngest Weasley affirmed Harry's option, "Being on the Wizengamot is a job and Harry has… something like three or four votes."

Draco interjected, "Four. One for house Potter and three for house Black. Plus, influence with any other allied houses."

Hermione finally exploded, "All the more reason to get your education! You have a responsibility to the rest of society and shirking your education affects us all…" Her voice was well above the normal pitch and people were beginning to look over. Draco took another bite of food while chuckling.

Harry really missed Hermione. "I plan to use Divination to make my decisions in the Wizengamot."

Hermione nearly choked on her pumpkin juice.

Neville looked up, "Harry, are you a seer?" He seemed to be in sudden awe. What the hell?

"No Neville, but I own a device that accurately directs me, and I plan to use it in my voting. It's called a 'Magic Eight Ball'. Alternately, I could use the flipped coin approach, but I find the Eight Ball gives me more reliable answers."

Hermione huffed and glared at him, but the ends of her mouth were fighting a smile. "Very funny, Harry." Neville and Luna were trying to understand what was so humorous. Ginny knew what a magic eight ball was.

Becoming serious, Harry addressed Hermione's concerns. "Hermione, the counsellor in these sessions is traditionally your head of house and I don't have one. Remember the Declaration of Eiectio? I plan to just work it out with Bill and Andromeda, but I'll likely be a curse-breaker. I already have my Novice curse-breaker certificate and with a bit more field work, I can sit for my journeyman exam. I know I'll ace it."

Harry noticed his friends were looking oddly and uncomfortably at each other. Draco was smirking about something. What had he missed?

Ginny timidly asked, "Don't you need to have all your magic for that?"

Shite! He wasn't ready to give it all away in such a public place…

"Oh, yeah. Well, Goblins can't cast spells and they can be curse-breakers. We'll see." He really hadn't told many people his magic was healing. It was best if no one suspected it… He might need the element of surprise. He could privately share it, but not here.

Harry looked around and realised the hall was full, and all the faculty was at their table. Many of the faculty were looking in his direction. Likely a lot of the students as well.

Harry decided it was time to depart. "Hey, guys, I think I'd like to leave now." Draco seemed to feel the same way. "Come by our suite later if you want. I'd like to get out of her before…"

Harry was suddenly interrupted by Dumbledore's augmented voice.

"Attention!"

Harry winced, knowing what was coming. Please let it end quickly.

"Please join me in welcoming two of our students back to Hogwarts. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy have both returned to prepare for their coming OWL exams. They will be here all week and I am certain your support and encouragement will be appreciated." There was a mild applause, but Harry just stared at his plate. Ginny squeezed his hand. He didn't even know he was holding her hand.

There were a few other announcements, then silence. Which meant the hall became very loud once again. Harry looked up. "You guys want to come back to our suite?"

Hermione gave him a half smile. "Later, Harry. We got up extra early to meet you, now we need to go back to our dorms and get our class materials."

Harry knew they had gotten up early. "Come by when you're done with classes. We can also meet up here for lunch."

At that, the group got up to leave. Harry noted Draco nodded to a few Slytherin students. He also saw Ron and the twins watching him. He expected a visit at some point. On his way out, he saw several other students watching him. Most of the stares appeared to be either curious or nervous, a few at the Slytherin table were outright hostile.

Occlumency… like Dr. Gaines and he had practiced… Harry locked away his nervousness and insecurities behind his mask of control and indifference. He even met a few of the more hostile stares. Dead eyes… Zero emotion… Lock it away.

They were back at their suite with an hour to go before they began their OWL preparedness meetings. Tonks and Draco were looking at him warily.

Tonks started in the minute the door closed. "Who taught you occlumency?"

Harry just looked at her, giving nothing away.

She looked visibly upset. "Stop, Harry!"

Harry said, "What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything."

Draco calmly said, "You have dead eyes. The kind that… well, they're not normal for you." He sounded almost timid.

Tonks continued. "Harry, there's occlumency and there's occlumency. You've hidden away and walled yourself off. It's a Black family trick, but you really don't want to do it."

Harry slowly relaxed and opened… "What do you mean about two kinds of occlumency?"

Tonks looked very relieved after Harry relaxed. "There's the kind that protects your mind. You've obviously been trained in that. Then there's the kind that shuts you off. The kind that kills all emotion and makes you… unfeeling. It's usually a dark trait and your light families don't teach or encourage it."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh please, there are no 'Dark' or 'Light' families. There are Traditionalists and Progressives. Probably a few other minor factions as well… Just being a Traditionalist doesn't make you 'Dark' any more than eating vegetables makes you a vegetarian."

Harry rubbed his forehead. "OK, I didn't want anyone to see me struggling, so I put on a poker face. That hardly makes me a Dark Wizard."

Draco shook his head, "That wasn't a poker face. Well, maybe if you intend to kill all the other players if you lose… That was the look a killer gets when they're… Well, I know that look and it's not you."

Tonks very gently asked again, "Harry, who taught that to you?"

No way was he throwing his relationship with Dr. Gaines away. "I learned it watching Clint Eastwood. I watched his last movie - Unforgiven."

Draco looked confused and Tonks seemed to consider what he had said. She would have just graduated from Hogwarts when it came out and Harry doubted that she had ever seen it. Still, she might have heard of it.

Harry changed the subject, "I think I'll look over my notes before the review." And he excused himself.

Reflecting on the occlumency, Harry realised he was able to maintain the face of calm in a stressful environment. Maybe he looked emotionless and dead, but he liked the results. And there's nothing wrong with a little buffer. Everywhere he goes, people judge him. Always under the microscope… If Tonks and Draco don't like it, too bad.

About a half hour before his review, Harry got up and opened the window. Within two minutes, Hedwig had flown in and settled on her stand. Harry made over her and gave her a treat. Now he could send letters without having to walk to the owlery. He gave her a second treat and brushed over her feathers. Draco was studying and Tonks were relaxing.

On a whim, Harry called out "Dobby!"

Dobby soon appeared in front of him. "Does Master Harry wants Dobby?"

Harry smiled at his friend. "Yes, Dobby. Can you help me out with dinner Wednesday?"

Dobby eagerly nodded his head. His ears were flapping about in his enthusiastic nodding.

"Ok, Wednesday is Valentine's Day and I thought I'd take Ginny out for dinner at the Astronomy Tower…" Tonks interrupted him.

"No." She said without looking up from her Witch Weekly magazine.

Harry did a double take. "What?"

Tonks looked up. "You are under my protection and you will not be breaking off and smooching with your girl. That would make you an easy target." She softened a bit and added, "I'm sorry, Harry."

Draco was smiling. He was no longer turning pages.

Harry thought for a minute and asked, "What if we do it here? A big Valentine's dinner?"

Draco now looked up, "No thank you, Harry. I have no wish to watch the two of you, this morning was enough. Before you ask, I do not intend to hide in the bedroom all night, either."

Harry took a long cleansing breath, maybe he could beat the crap out of Draco again. Would Tonks interfere if he did? Probably.

One possible trick. Harry asked, "What about you, Draco?"

"What do you mean, Harry?" Draco was looking suspiciously at him.

"Is there a girl you like? Invite her. We can make it a double date. Dobby and Kreacher can do it up as a formal evening." Harry watched Draco's eyes soften. There was a girl! He was considering it.

Looking back at Tonks he saw her about to 'veto' the idea.

"Come on Tonks don't be like Dolores Umbridge. You're still young enough to know what it's like."

Harry saw her eyes flash and wasn't sure she like what he had said.

"Please Tonks. I miss Ginny so much…"

Tonks cut her eyes and said, "You're playing me. Alright, I'll clear it with the headmaster. But only if Draco has a date and there will be chaperones."

Harry had a sudden fright, "Not by Umbridge…" he saw a look of horror on Draco's face as well.

Tonks suddenly looked disgusted. "Oh, Lord no." She then smiled and winked, "By me. And Remus."

Harry realised that wasn't too bad… "Separate tables?"

Tonks grinned, "Only for the Chaperones. But you must write Remus and ask him to be here. He can't say no to you."

Harry nodded, then looked at Draco. "Draco?"

Draco thought a moment and nodded. Then he said, "There's a girl I like. I'll go along, but this will be a formal dinner. None of that Gryffindor garbage. The two of us will be in Dress robes… the ladies will also be in formal attire. And I pick the menu."

Harry paused a moment. He was up to this. "Alright, but I get veto on the dinner. I don't want something Ginny or I don't like." Andromeda had been training him for weeks. Months even. This would be fun.

Draco added in as an afterthought, "I pick the Champagne."

Tonks laughed. "Why thank you Draco. Remus and I will enjoy that. But you two get nothing stronger than Butterbeer."

Draco and Harry looked at each other and smiled. This would be fun.

Harry sat down and wrote a letter to his… Andromeda. He almost called her mum. Yeeesh. The letter was asking for dress robes for Draco and himself. Tonks did the same in a separate letter. Harry then wrote one to Remus and Tonks made him request Remus wear his best robes. He started to give the letters to Dobby but decided to send them via Hedwig. She'd been cooped up for months and he could tell she enjoyed flying here. She was eager for another trip.

Harry smiled at Hedwig. "Alright, girl. Here's a treat and three letters."

Harry watched her soar away. He then wrote an invitation to Ginny and gave it to Dobby to deliver. Draco did the same to whichever girl he had his eye on. The three of them were feeling good. This was shaping up to be an amazing Valentine's Day.

It was now time to go to Arithmancy.

— **DoD—**

Arithmancy and Herbology reviews wrapped up early. Both Draco and Harry were well prepared for their OWLs. Harry suspected Bill had exaggerated the difficulty of the exam. Compared to the cures-breaker examinations, this was child's play. Was he that far ahead? Well, of course he was, he'd had most of his mother's knowledge transferred and a fair amount of his father's. They were both excellent students.

He and Draco spent thirty minutes in their suite talking about the different menu options for Wednesday. It was looking like Beef Wellington, Red Potatoes, Asparagus and Hollandaise Sause. Dessert would be a Crème Brûlée with Vanilla Ice Cream.

Harry looked at the time and asked, "Are you about ready for lunch?"

Draco nodded, but he was clearly dreading the hallways as much as Harry.

Tonks took a moment to get ready and the three of them headed down for lunch.

They walked together to the Great Hall and went to 'their' table. It was still early, but they wanted to avoid any crowds. Tonks went over to see Professor Moody. Harry remembered he had been her mentor in the Academy.

Draco looked over. "You're doing it again. The Occlumency."

Harry just shrugged. He needed his shields. Yes, it made Draco nervous, but was that really such a bad thing? Harry knew he had bailed Draco and his mother out of a terrible situation, whether Draco is nervous around him or not didn't really matter that much.

Soon enough, other students began filing in. Ginny came over and gave him a hug. She was holding his invitation. "Thank you, Harry! I can't wait. I've written mum to send the same dress I wore for the Yule Ball last year. I can't wait!"

Harry just smiled. Realising she was suddenly looking at him oddly, he slowly dropped the occlumency.

He now smiled sincerely and proclaimed, "I can't wait either! We'll have to share the dining area with Draco and Tonks… and their dates… but it'll still be great."

Harry suddenly realised he didn't have a gift. He'd use Dobby or Pipsey and have them shop at Hogsmeade. This was going to be so much fun. Harry looked over and saw Draco talking to a girl in Slytherin robes. She looked familiar…

Hermione and Neville came up.

Hermione asked, "How was your evaluation, Harry?"

Harry focused on her and smiled, "Easy as pie, Hermione. Easy as Pie."

— **Dance of Death 30—**

After lunch, Draco went off with Professor Snape for his potion's evaluation. Tonks followed Harry out into the courtyard. It was brutally cold, but bright and clear. Harry could tell that Tonks was as excited as he was about Valentine's Day. They were joking around and cutting up when Harry saw Colin out practicing something with his wand.

"Hey Colin, what are you working on?" But Harry already knew. The shouts of ' _Protego_ ' were a dead giveaway.

"Hi Harry! I'm trying to get my shielding spell up. Not having much luck, though. Sometimes I get a blueish light…"

Harry knew how challenging this one was. It required a visual image as much as proper wand movements or incantations. At least initially.

"Hmmm. Let's see. You're making your circular motion in a triangular shape." Pausing and thinking a minute, he added, "Try to imagine a metal dustbin lid, hovering in front of you. Now, make the circle like you are outlining the inside circle of the lid. Focus on the shield. Move at half speed and speak normally."

Colin followed Harry's directions and a bluish disc formed. He had successfully cast a shield charm.

Harry clapped and said, "Nice. Repeat the steps the same way… fifty times, then begin making the circle gradually smaller. Keep the image. Once your circular motion is the size of a tennis ball, start speeding up your words and motions. Gradually…"

Tonks had watched with interest. Harry was a highly effective teacher. He skipped all the theory and went straight to the execution, but he was very relatable.

"Hem-hem" The three of them turned and looked at Dolores Umbridge. She was standing off to the side glaring at them.

Harry looked over at Tonks and she shrugged. Harry just waited.

"You are breaking an educational decree. There is to be no wand use outside of the classroom. That will be twenty points from Gryffindor. Each."

Harry did a double take. "Professor Umbridge, we're not in the halls… And I'm not a Gryffindor student. The charm Colin was using was purely defensive…"

Dolores interrupted and said, "The rules have been amended." The toad faced woman then smiled in an insincere and saccharine sweet manner.

Tonks said, "Oi! What about them?"

She pointed to other students performing simple charms at random inside the courtyard. Most were Slytherin students. A few were Ravenclaws.

Harry looked back at Umbridge and asked, "Professor, do you have an answer for Auror Tonks?" He knew he shouldn't have said anything, but he was irritated.

Umbridge sneered at him. "Those students are from magical families. They understand how to be… careful." She then adopted her disgusting smile.

Harry was staring at the woman. He had heard Andromeda and Narcissa talking about her from their days at Hogwarts. She was no pureblood. He had also heard from Hermione about her detentions and bias toward Slytherin house. She made Snape seem fair and impartial.

Harry asked, "What do you mean, Professor? Are you saying only purebloods should be able to use wands outside of class?"

She kept her cavity inducing smile, "Those are your words, not mine." But she didn't deny them.

"Considering your own upbringing, I would have expected you to be more considerate to…"

She cut him off, "I am a part of the Selwyn family." She wasn't smiling now.

"Professor, your mother was a muggle and your father a muggle-born, how on earth…"

Harry stopped when he saw her reaching for her wand. She had a look on her face that he knew all too well. She was going to curse him. What the hell…

The world slowed down. As she pulled her up wand, Harry swung his left hand up, grabbed her wand and pulled it from her grasp. He then flicked it across the courtyard.

Harry stammered out, "I can't believe you did that. I was only going to say you have risen up and no one held your lack of 'blood purity' against you."

Umbridge was staring at him in outrage. Her mouth was moving, but she hadn't said anything intelligible. She was furious!

Harry pressed on, "You're barely a Half-Blood, but you put on airs like pure-blood fanatic. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Umbridge stared daggers of ice at him.

There was a crowd forming around them. Harry realised he may have gone too far.

Tonks had her wand out. "Harry, we're leaving." Harry gave a short nod and turned to leave, but Umbridge stepped in front of him.

"Fetch my wand!" She was red faced and even uglier than when she smiled.

Thinking of everything he had heard about her. Harry had no intention of doing her bidding. Hell, she'd probably curse him with it after he handed it back.

"No, ma'am."

Umbridge snarled at Harry, "Get. My. Wand!"

Harry snarled back, "Get it yourself!"

Tonks said, "Harry!" this was escalating so quickly. "We're leaving _**now**_!"

Harry turned and walked off, wondering how such a simple act as helping Colin cast a shield charm had spiralled so far down. He noted that Tonks had her hand on his shoulder, but it wasn't there to offer support. He was practically being 'frog-marched' out of the courtyard.

When they got back to the suite, Tonks lit into him.

Tonk's hair was flaming red, "What the hell were you thinking? All you had to do was say 'yes ma'am' and the entire activity would have been over. You just antagonised one of the most powerful women in our ministry."

Harry was in no mood to be lectured, "I might have done just that, but you pointed out all the other people practicing magic. I thought you had my back!"

Tonks stuttered a moment, then said, "I'm an adult and an Auror. You're a student." She realised how similar she and Harry were. He was like her little brother and their temperaments were very much alike. "I shouldn't have said anything. Now she'll be after both of us."

She realised she was being a bit of a hypocrite where Harry was concerned. She just didn't want him to make the same hot-headed mistakes she had. And still did. Like today. Harry was sitting on the couch now, sulking.

Tonks softened a bit. "And for the record, I always have your back, Harry. But your temper sometimes makes it hard." Hadn't her mother once said something similar to her?

Before either of them could say more, there was a knock on the door. She stepped over and opened it. There was Dumbledore and McGonagall. News travels fast.

Tonks groaned. She had seen this look so many times while at Hogwarts. At least it wasn't directed at her this time. "Please come in."

The two entered the room. Harry looked up and said, "Oh, boy. Here we go." Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Harry had been betrayed by these two so many times.

"Harry!" Tonks was shocked. When did her quiet and gentle cousin turn into such a rebellious prat?

Minerva was the first to address his lack of manners, "Mr. Potter, that attitude is uncalled for. We've heard reports that you assaulted a teacher! Can you explain yourself?"

" **Fuck!** " That got their attention. Seeing everyone looking shocked, he proceeded. "I didn't do anything wrong. Not a **damn thing** , and she came over spouting her blood purity rules and shaming us. Then, she pulled her wand on me. **I did not assault her!** I just took her wand away."

Seeing Tonks grimace, he realised he was raving. When had he stood up?

Dumbledore was the only one to remain composed, "Mr. Potter, calmly tell me what happened in complete detail. And please, no more outbursts, it seems beneath you."

Over the next fifteen minutes, he and Tonks recounted the entire event. They answered all the questions and restated the fact that no assault took place and it was Dolores that took aggressive action. The fact that Tonks is an Auror carried a great deal of weight in the telling. That irritated Harry to no end. He was the future Lord of House Black and House Potter… didn't that mean anything? He really hated this place.**

When they left, Dumbledore informed them that, given the circumstances, Harry should remain in the suite except when he's taking his evaluations. He would additionally not be allowed any student visitors for the duration of his stay. This was apparently one of Umbridge's new decrees, hot off the press. Something about visitor contact with students. Harry suddenly realised that decree shot his Valentine's Day plans to hell.

As Dumbledore and McGonagall left, Harry just couldn't hold back. "You both make me sick. I can't believe you let someone like that in your school. When will you make a stand? Dumbledore, I already knew you had no backbone, but I thought the head of Gryffindor house might have a bit more courage."

Minerva looked shocked. Dumbledore looked irritated, but still in control.

The Headmaster simply said, "You have a great deal to learn, Mr. Potter. Starting with how to best keep those in your charge safe."

Harry turned his back and walked away.

Harry and Tonks had an enormous row after that. Harry thought she should have been more supportive. Why wasn't she as outraged as he was, they didn't do anything wrong. Tonks called him a naive child who needed to grow up and stop acting like a spoiled brat. Draco came back in the middle of their row and he was mad too when he heard the news. Harry's actions led to a decree that prevented him from interacting with other students as well. He wouldn't be enjoying Valentine's Day either. Additionally, he had made plans to meet a few of his friends, and now he couldn't.

When they turned in for the night, everyone was angry.

— **Dance of Death 30—**

The two teens lay in the dark, each thinking about their day. The good and the unpleasant aspects of it. Why had Umbridge lost it the way she did? It made no sense.

Ginny had sent an owl with a long letter attached. She was upset too, but she didn't blame him. Colin had woven an impressive tale of how Harry defended him and disarmed Umbridge. After this afternoon's event, Harry was an underground hero for standing up to Umbridge. Unfortunately, Umbridge was taking it out on everyone. Well, at least he could still exchange letters with Ginny.

"Hey, Draco? Are you awake?"

"What if I said 'No'?"

Harry chuckled. "Fair point."

Draco was still irritated. "Well, get on with it. What did you want to know?"

Harry tried to phrase it gently, "Well, you know how your family has so many… contacts in the ministry? Do you know anything about Umbridge?"

Draco knew of her. "I know she is a cunning and vindictive woman. Extremely petty and fixated on her own insecurities." After a moment, he added, "She won't let today rest. She'll try to get even."

"But why did she go nuts like that? All I did was point out her favouritism toward purebloods."

"Blood status is one of her insecurities. She comes from nothing. Tries to claim she's a distant relative of the Selwyn family. They don't refute her, but they laugh at her in private."

Harry now realised his mistake, "I may have mentioned she had a muggle mother and a muggle-born father."

Draco started laughing. "That's too rich. Well, you can bribe your way out if it. Probably." He was still chuckling.

Harry considered that for one second. Nope, never gonna happen. Why do so many Wizards think money is the answer to everything. What was that song? By Kansas…

"You know what, Draco? None of it really matters. All the money and dreams of power and prestige"

"What do you mean? It matters a lot. It gets things done."

Harry smiled and began his recital of the popular song by a band called Kansas. He didn't sing it, but he matched the pace of the song.

" _I close my eyes_

_Only for a moment, and the moment's gone._

_All my dreams_

_Pass before my eyes, a curiosity._

_Dust in the wind, Draco._

_All we are is dust in the wind_."

Draco asked, "What is that? A poem? It's not bad, but it's a bit dismal."

Harry was enjoying this. He continued:

" _Same old tale._

_Just a drop of water in an endless sea._

_All we do_

_Crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see."_

Draco yawned, "I think you've made your point, Harry. It sounds like depressing Muggle Philosophy. You know they only live about half as long as we do. Frequently even less. Alright, let's get some sleep."

Harry smiled and continued:

" _Dust in the wind, Draco._

_All we are is dust in the wind."_

Draco considered a silencing charm, but he wasn't sure the contracts he signed would allow him to silence Harry. " **Enough!** I'm trying to sleep here."

Harry knew he had his pampered roommate right where he wanted him. "The important thing is nothing _really_ matters. Wealth, status, prestige…" He continued before Draco could retort.

" _Don't hang on, Draco_

_Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky."_

"Harry, **stop!** "

" _It slips away_

_And all your money won't another minute buy."_

Draco said, " **Merlin!** Let this morose Muggle recital just **end!** "

But it didn't.

" _Dust in the wind, Draco._

_All we are is dust in the wind."***_

Draco exploded, " **Fine! Enough!** You and your Muggle Theology… You can recite your morbid, melancholic, and despondent poems all night..." Draco got up, grabbed his sheets, blankets and a pillow, and stormed out of the room.

Harry slept _**very**_ peacefully.

— **Dance of Death 30—**

**Hogwarts**

**The Great Hall**

**February 13, 1996**

**Tuesday**

When Harry, Draco and Tonks came down for breakfast, there was a special table set aside for them. It was in a dark and gloomy corner of the great hall, a good distance away from the other students. Harry hated watching Ginny and his other friends without being able to interact with them. Draco looked irritated as well. It was going to be a long day.

Midway through breakfast, Professor Umbridge made an announcement around her new decree. Students are not allowed to interact with non-ministry approved school visitors. She then went on to mention the importance of ignoring nasty rumours spread by 'those who seek attention'. It was clear she was talking about Harry. Draco muttered something about Gryffindor subtlety under his breath. Yeah, he was still pissed.

After breakfast, the three of them went back to their room to prepare for the week. Harry had Dobby shop for sweets for Ginny and he sent Pipsey for flowers. Pipsey _really_ knew her flowers. Maybe they couldn't have dinner together, but he would make sure Ginny felt special. Hedwig was delivering messages between the two of them multiple times a day.

Harry's Ancient Runes knowledge make his evaluation simple. Draco stuck with the OWL curriculum and showed that he was ready to take his tests. When Harry reminded Professor Babbling that he was already a Novice Curse-Breaker, she decided to adjust Harry's evaluation to NEWT levels and was apparently impressed. As it was, both students were more than prepared for their OWLs, she mentioned that Harry was ready for his NEWTs, but OWLs were required to stand for NEWTs. Privately she asked Harry if he had considered a Mastery in Ancient Runes. When Harry didn't answer immediately, she asked him to let her know if he ever decided to pursue her field for mastery.

In the Astronomy evaluation, Professor Sinistra was less impressed than Professor Babbling, but she also believed both students were ready for their OWLs. Draco was especially proficient and clearly a favorite of the instructor. He just seemed to 'get' Astronomy in ways Harry didn't.

Eventually, Harry was back in his room while Draco was being evaluated in Charms and Transfiguration. He wrote out another long letter to Ginny, cursing Umbridge and her stupid educational decrees. He'd see her in a little over a month during the Spring Break. Hedwig eagerly took the letter and flew off. Harry took went into his room, closed the door, and took out the Marauder's Map. He watched the different comings and goings. Ginny was in class with Colin. Hermione and Ron were in class together. Draco was going through his evaluations with Tonks watching in the corner. Likely reading a magazine. She was mad he'd ruined her date with Remus. Everyone in the suite was mad at him.

After a while, Harry got bored and called for Dobby. The two of them played card games for a while. Dobby and Harry did this quite frequently in the Chamber of Secrets last year and they both enjoyed it. Harry asked Dobby if it was hard being around Draco, but Dobby apparently had only been mistreated by Lucius.

Soon enough Draco and Tonks returned and the three went for a silent dinner. No one wanted to talk as they all were annoyed that they had no Valentine's Day options. Both Draco and Tonks thought Harry overreacted, but neither could say much. Draco had loyalty agreements and if he lashed out or shared his frustrations, his magic would punish him in some minor way. Tonks couldn't say much because Harry wasn't even half as rebellious as she had been at his age.

That night was even quieter. When Andromeda found out about the exchange, she sent a note to her daughter reminding her of the many times she had been placed in the same position. That seemed to irritate Tonks to no end. Draco wrote a letter to his mother and turned in for the night. Harry was right behind him.

So, the evening ended silently as they all just settled in and went to bed.

— **Dance of Death 30—**

**Hogwarts**

**The Great Hall**

**February 14, 1996**

**Wednesday**

The next morning, the three visitors went down to the great hall and watched all the commotion of owls bringing gifts and cards. Harry got quite a few cards and a few gifts. Tonks checked all of them, but they were safe. Most were from Ginny. They could only wave across the room, but it could be worse.

Ginny received her candy and flowers. Both Dobby and Pipsey went a little overboard. It was nice to see her so happy. Draco received a few cards and gifts as well. Harry was glad Draco hadn't lost all his friends. Maybe if Draco were happy, he and Tonks would stop giving him the silent treatment.

After breakfast, they returned to their suite and Harry had just enough time to eat a handful of candy and write a letter to Ginny. He then took off to his Muggle Studies evaluation. Draco was taking his Defence class at the same time across the hall. The questions had been ridiculously simple. Harry wondered why they didn't just hire a muggle-born instructor. Professor Burbage was a truly kind woman, but these questions were so simple.

Seeing Harrys face, Professor Burbage asked, "Mr. Potter, you were muggle raised, correct?" Harry nodded. She continued. "The OWL exam is fairly basic; it may be a bit overly simple for one who truly understands the muggle world."

Harry smiled at the Professor. She really was a kind woman. He understood this test for him was a bit like teaching introductory French to someone who has spoken it as a primary language for decades. Harry looked down at the test and continued.

He was near the end when he had a sudden pain inside his chest. His hands began to seize up and shake. Harry started to get up, but the room began to spin. He apparently made noise because Professor Burbage was right there.

"Mr. Potter, are you all right?"

Harry tried to stand but immediately fell. What the hell. Had he been given bad candy? He crawled to the waste bin and emptied his stomach. After all the candy he had eaten, it took a while.

When he looked up, Tonks, Draco, Professor Moody, and Professor Burbage were standing around him.

Tonks shoved something in his mouth. "Swallow this, Harry. It's a Bezoar." She then levitated him to the infirmary.

Halfway there, Harry started to recover. She wouldn't let him walk. How in the hell could someone poison him? He was wearing two heir rings. Lord, the pain was awful. But not so much in a physical way. Even now he felt so alone and… lost. Like the way a Dementor made you feel, only… less intense.

Sitting in the hospital, Madam Pomfrey checked him over. She waved her wand several times and looked at Harry in the oddest way.

She finally gave her prognosis, "Well, Mr. Potter, you weren't poisoned. Physically, you're fine. The issue is with your magical core. It has apparently been strained and has been flaring up. It's currently in a rather violent state of flux. I must admit, it's far better than when last I examined you. Far better than I had ever dared hope it would be."

Tonks was watching concerned. "Is it possible that someone slipped something into his candy? He ate a pound of it this morning."

Madam Pomfrey shook her head, "I don't think so. But you did give him a Bezoar… That could mask the poison. But still, there would be signs. Of course, a skilled poisoner can accomplish a great many things." After a moment, she added, "You're free to go now Mr. Potter. But if you experience any other symptoms, please return immediately."

Draco had gone to the Great Hall for lunch and they set out to join him. As they walked, Tonks looked him over. He looked miserable. Shaken. Barely walking in a straight line.

"Harry, are you alright?" Tonks seemed genuinely concerned.

Harry never looked up, he spoke in a flat and bleak manner, "No. I feel awful. Like I'll never be happy again. I feel like I've been hollowed out and nothing can ever… It just hurts. Like when Sirius was killed. It hurts _so much_."

They got to the Great Hall and Harry shuffled to the table they were forced to sit at. He knew he looked awful, but he didn't care. He sat down but didn't eat. What's the point? The lunch was prime rib. Nice and rare. Vegetables and potatoes. It looked good, but he just had no appetite. Draco was halfway done and seemed to be enjoying it. Why was Umbridge smirking at him? She looked far too pleased with herself.

After a half hour or so, they were getting ready to leave when a huge figure approached and stood in front of him.

"…'Arry? Can ya step outside fer a bit?"

Looking up, Harry saw it was Hagrid. The enormous man had bloodshot eyes and tear streaks running down his face. He had been crying and he looked despondent. Professor Dumbledore was beside him. It was then that Harry noticed Hagrid had dried blood in his beard. And trace amounts of tiny white feathers.

Owl Feathers.

Hedwig.

Harry felt his magic churning like a hurricane.

Then the whole world exploded.

— **Dance of Death 30—**

**Next: Aftermath.**

**Two tragedies down, and a third to come. Harry is being forged into the Mage he is in Casting Shadows. He learned a valuable lesson in this chapter, and he realised he was not as invulnerable as he thought. Arrogance rarely pays.**

***You will see the phrase "** _**Proud of his or her Heritage** _ **" frequently. This is what purebloods say when they talk about their own superiority. But even they understand the need to maintain some degree of genetic diversity. Generally, most purebloods would consider a third generation magical as pure. All but the extreme fringe of purebloods would consider a fourth generation pure. Ironically, it is the third generation that is most sought after in marriage contracts due to the likelihood of children who have strong magical potential. Then there are the more progressive purebloods include second generation as well, noting numerous examples of extremely powerful children, such as Albus Dumbledore. Those few fanatical groups who are considered extreme purebloods believe only those having no muggle history for at least ten generations can call themselves purebloods. Most of the wizarding society, including most purebloods, view them as unrealistic and somewhat embarrassing fanatics. These fanatical purebloods are nearly extinct as they tend to have squibs and mentally unstable children. Most families avoid a betrothal to these groups, believing it to be a risky matrimony.**

****Most young people would feel this way. Unfortunately, Harry lost credibility with his foul language and dramatics. The fact is adults are taken more seriously in situations such as this - Especially when the adult is a law enforcement officer.**

*****Kansas song: Dust in the Wind. Minor modifications for the scene. A real classic.**

**OK, apparently in the book, Valentine's Day was on a Saturday. I'm not sure what to do as February 14, 1996 was a Wednesday. I'll go with the calendar as it works better with this story, but that's not intended to take anything away from JKR's 'Order of the Phoenix'. Fanon doesn't always line up with Canon.**

**For those of you who have read Casting Shadows, the primary story in this series, you know that Harry must intentionally dial his occlumency down a bit on dates and social gatherings. Otherwise, he comes across as cold and uncaring. I decided this was the best time to show where and why he started using that skill.**

**Note that Hedwig was attacked in Canon, but only injured. I always wondered why Umbridge didn't finish the job. She was a malicious and sadistic person who enjoyed causing pain. Maybe if Harry had outed her blood purity in canon, she would have.**


	31. Chapter 31

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Harry and Draco returned to Hogwarts for pre-OWL evaluations to ensure they were adequately in line to pass their OWLs in June. While on site, Harry had a run in with Dolores Umbridge and unintentionally enraged the woman during a conversation about Blood Purity. During their exchange, Harry wrestled her wand away before she could curse him and threw it across the courtyard. This resulted in Umbridge's embarrassment and a new Educational Decree preventing other students from interacting with Harry and Draco.**

**We ended the story with Harry having some kind of magical breakdown which he assumed was either from a poisoned Valentine's Day chocolate, or a curse of some sort. After he recovered from the immediate effects, he couldn't shake the feeling of immense loss. During dinner, he couldn't help but notice Umbridge continuously smirking in his direction. Ignoring her he just sat and tried to come to terms with his unusual depression. Eventually, Hagrid approached him, and Harry noticed blood and feathers on the man. The truth then struck him.**

**Hedwig had been killed. Harry's magic, already damaged and churning, suddenly exploded.**

**The story picks up the next day.**

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Chapter 31: An Egg**

**Hogwarts Infirmary**

**February 15, 1996**

**Thursday, 6AM**

Harry was sitting in the infirmary, feeling numb to everything around him. He knew he'd been given potions to calm him, but in its own way, that made him feel even worse.

He remembered the horrible moment when he realised Hedwig was dead and the Accidental Magic that followed. He had created a blisteringly frigid ice storm in the great hall. The scent of Fir, Oak and Roses were thick in the air as wave after wave of unearthly cold erupted from him. He could feel his still-healing magic shudder and tear as the blizzard erupted from his core. Mercifully, someone had the good sense to stun him… probably Tonks. The angle was right.

He felt certain this had set his healing back a month or two at least. But that didn't matter. Hedwig was dead. Lost and gone forever in the swirling chaos of this terrible and pathetic life he was forced to live in. His mum and dad died protecting him. Sirius had died protecting him. Now Hedwig had died as well. All the people that took care of him. Well, not all.

"Pipsey!"

The tiny elf appeared; she had been crying. "Does Master Harry need Pipsey?"

Harry thought for a moment. He could have called Kreacher or Dobby… but he called Pipsey. He knew she had been a Potter elf for years and had been watching over him at the Dursley's.

"Pipsey… Hedwig's dead. I don't want to be alone now." Despite the potions in his system, Harry began to quietly sob. Pipsey climbed up and cradled his head, whispering soothing things. Just as she had when he was an infant.

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Hogwarts Grounds**

**Hagrid's Hut**

**February 15, 1996**

**Thursday, 7AM**

Hagrid felt terrible. He had been the one to find Hedwig and rushed to inform the headmaster. The two of them went to ask Harry to talk privately away from others… But Harry somehow knew. He should have let Albus do the talking… why did he have to surge forward and start? Blood in his beard and tiny white feathers… What was he thinking? Maybe he was as thick as people said. In his grief, he just didn't look that closely. He found Hedwig on the grounds. She had been hit with a severing charm outside of Gryffindor tower and fell to her death. She was carrying a letter from Ginny.

Hagrid was now building a small wooden box for Hedwig. Despite his size, he was a good wood carver and he had worked through the night, intent on building a fitting resting place for Hedwig. It would be one of the most beautiful things he had ever built. No, it wouldn't have gold leaf or silver fixtures, but it was a beautiful Oak box. It was perfectly sized for Hedwig and covered in Nordic runes and embellishments.

It was the least he could do.

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Hogwarts**

**Room of Requirement**

**February 15, 1996**

**Thursday, 8AM**

Hermione, Neville, Ron, and Cedric were gathered around a table in the room of requirement. It no longer looked like a training room, now it was a meeting room. The four of them had started a group to help train students to defend themselves.

Cedric was Head Boy and a seventh year. In addition, he was the best at defence. He did most of the hands-on instruction and training. Hermione was the most organised as she had a dazzling breadth of knowledge. Harry had been sending them books and notes to plan their training around and it was far beyond any of the course books Cedric had seen. He had apparently applied these techniques during his term last year when so many people were attacking him. Ron and Cedric still felt shame at their part in last year's treatment while Hermione and Neville were proud to say they stood beside him.

Now, Harry was unable to use magic and claiming that Voldemort was back. Some believed him while others did not. However, all the members of their little club believed they needed better training in defence. They had been covertly operating against the Educational Decrees which Professor Umbridge had created and now were re-evaluating their methods.

Cedric turned to Hermione, "Do you have any word on how Harry is doing?"

Hermione gently shook her head, "He was still unconscious when I went by last night. Auror Tonks privately told me he had been potioned." She then added, "For his own good."

Neville was losing his calm demeanour, "Umbridge killed his Familiar! I can't believe she would go that far." Seeing Hermione's inquisitive look, he added, "Hermione, that's just not done. Familiars are always off limits. Even the most vicious Slytherins know you don't attack a Familiar. In our society, that's something that is… like rolling around in excrement before entering a wrestling match."

Cedric added, "I'm not sure I'd describe it that way, but it's considered an unthinkable and vulgar way to get to someone."

Ron agreed and added, "Look at what it did to him. We thought his magic was damaged… He froze over the whole room." After a second, he added, "Most fully grown Wizards couldn't pull that off with a wand."

Hermione had heard enough, "Ron, why do you think he's still in the infirmary? Of course, he damaged himself." This was not the focus of the conversation. "This attack shows that Umbridge is far more dangerous than we had anticipated. We need to be more vigilant. Up until now, we've gotten lucky."

They all nodded and seemed resolute. Sneaking around had been like a game. Avoiding the Slytherin prefects and the informants. Hoping no one in the club talked… Being Head Boy, Cedric had made a point of scheduling the Prefects away from the Room of Requirement. He kept the Slytherins in the Dungeon. They had more than enough Prefects in the club to give them a further edge… but now it still seemed risky.

Cedric looked at his co-leader, "Hermione, we need to tell people about the curse you put on the list. The one that was punitive for exposing the group. I'd prefer to prevent out exposure rather than punish the exposer."

Ron did a double take, "You put a curse on the signup sheet? That's illegal." Then he added, "Immoral, too. What were you thinking?"

Hermione cut her eyes at Ron. "After the way everyone treated Harry, I wanted to make sure anyone who did the same to me would pay for it." Ron and Cedric both looked a bit sheepish at the admission.

After a few uncomfortable moments, Cedric spoke up, "Colin has really taken to the shielding charm. Harry taught him in a few minutes what no one had been able to get across. I wish we could get him more involved."

Neville groaned, "Seriously, Cedric? Harry needs to get out of this school before Umbitch does something else to him. Once she realised how badly she screwed up, she'll stop at nothing to silence him."

Hermione gave him another curious look.

Cedric explained, "An attack on a Familiar is more than just bad form. It's like an attack on the owner of the Familiar. If Umbridge is proven guilty, and we know she is, not only would the pureblood families she craves approval from view her with disgust, but she will go to Azkaban. It was an unprovoked assault on the Heir of an Ancient and Most Noble House. Through his Familiar."

Hermione paled. "She'll do anything to silence him."

Cedric took a dep breath, "Yes. Including going after his friends."

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Office**

**February 15, 1996**

**Thursday, 10AM**

Albus Dumbledore was in a conference with Amelia Bones, Cornelius Fudge, and Dolores Umbridge. It had been going on for two hours and they were merely repeating the same arguments repeatedly. Dolores and the Minister were trying to paint this as proof that Potter was no longer sane and a danger to others.

Cornelius' face was turning red from irritation. "Albus, that boy is a menace! Either you do something about him, or I will."

Amelia saved Albus from the same retort he had used repeatedly. "Minister, the law is clear, Accidental Magic cannot be held against the witch or wizard. Clearly, this is a case of Accidental Magic. I will personally lead an investigation…"

"Hem-hem" Dolores inserted herself, "I hardly think you are the appropriate individual to lead an investigation, Amelia. You are clearly biased."

Amelia slammed her hand on the table, "Like Hell I am! You, Dolores, appear to be the primary suspect in the attack on Mr. Potter's familiar!"

Fudge stood up and looked down at Madam Bones, "Now see here! Dolores is the only person in this school I have _**any**_ trust in!" Turning to the headmaster, he said, "Albus, I warned you last year to get this school under control."

This had been going on for over two hours and Albus had finally had enough. He slowly rose.

"Enough!" His words reverberated. "I will have you remember I am the authority in this school. Do not test me on this Cornelius." His magic flared up and it was clear the doddering Headmaster had been replaced by the only Wizard Voldemort ever feared. By the man who defeated Grindelwald.

Albus understood his eyes were not twinkling. They were almost certainly glowing in a light shade of blue. No one would dare speak this way to Gellert and he was quite tired of pathetic wizards like Fudge thinking they were free to disregard him so casually.

Cornelius suddenly paled and sat back down. His eyes wide and his mouth was hanging loosely open. Even Amelia seemed taken back at the display. She hadn't seen Albus Dumbledore like this in over a decade. Unfortunately, Dolores Umbridge was too stupid to hold her tongue.

"Excuse me, but it sounds like you're threatening the Minister of Magic, and therefore, the Ministry itself. I think you have overstepped yourself headmaster."

Albus wanted to choke the pick woman.

Cornelius found his courage after Dolores Umbridge kept talking.

"You've had your chance to turn this around, Albus. John Dawlish will be investigating both the attack on the owl and Harry Potters attack on the other children." He rose and put on his hat. "Good day to you." But it was clear he did not mean wish Albus a good day.

The Minister turned and stormed directly to the fireplace and with a sneer departed back to the Ministry.

Albus turned to Dolores. "I'll keep this short, Dolores, so that even you can understand it. Get. Out. Now."

Dolores smiled in her saccharine way. "Very well, Albus. But we'll continue this soon enough." She then rose and departed.

Amelia was silent for a moment, then said, "It was nice to see you back in form, Albus. Unfortunately, I don't think you helped the situation."

"No, Amelia, I did not." Sitting back down, He gently removed his glasses. "Now I must do something I feel I will deeply regret later."

"What is that, Albus? You know Dawlish will find young Mr. Potter guilty. At best he'll be tossed into St. Mungo's. I don't even want to think about the other possibilities."

"I feel certain it won't come to that, Amelia. I have already contacted Lady Black and I will now give the Iopos Law firm full access to this school."

"Albus, why is that a bad thing?" Amelia wondered why Albus would limit a legal firm from the school grounds.

"The Iopos law firm is a group that backs certain powerful wizards and their family. Their motives are known only to them and they work on an international level. I have no doubt they will ensure Mr. Dawlish stays in line. Hopefully, he will survive the experience intact."

"Albus, how do you know them so well?"

"They once represented me… and they once represented Gellert Grindelwald."

Amelia paled at the mention of Grindelwald. "Do you think they could be in the service of You-Know-Who?"

Albus slowly shook his head, "No, Amelia. The Denairastas family does not support outsiders or the hopelessly insane."

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Office**

**February 15, 1996**

**Thursday, 1 PM**

Harry had been moved back to his suite. He barely spoke and seemed horribly depressed. Tonks and Draco had stayed with him, but he acted as if he was alone. Silently staring at the wall.

Draco brought him a glass of water. "Harry, I'm sorry about last night. If you want to recite any of your muggle poetry, I'll listen. It was actually pretty good; I just wasn't in the right frame of mind…"

Harry gave him a small smile. "It's a song. A good one. Not a poem."

Draco didn't know what else to do. Attacking a Familiar was a revolting thing to do. Even last year when so many people were attacking Harry, no one went after his Familiar. Would Umbridge really go to such lengths to punish him? Draco realised that he already knew the answer. Yes… she would.

Andromeda had been by while Harry was sleeping, but now she and Narcissa were diligently coordinating a legal defence. His Aunt and his mother were bringing in the Black legal team to ensure the responsible parties were punished. Apparently, there was even a discussion around Harry being held accountable for his Accidental Magic in the Great Hall. That was a clear sign of desperation. If it got out that Fudge's undersecretary was behind the attack, it would reflect horribly on him as well.

Soon there was a knock on the door. Tonks opened it to find Albus Dumbledore, Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall. They had clearly come to see how Harry was doing. As they entered the room, Harry looked up but said nothing.

Dumbledore asked, "Harry. I am deeply sorry for what you have gone through. If there is anything my staff or I can do, please let us know." To his credit, his eyes weren't winkling.

Harry thought a moment and said. "You tried to warn me. Yesterday you said I needed to learn how to keep those in my care safe. I scoffed and Hedwig paid the price."

Minerva sadly realised he was right. Albus had warned him. It was a painful lesson to learn and she hated he had learned it this way. Part of her was proud that he had listened and made the connection. These were difficult times and Harry needed to temper himself.

Albus took a breath, "I never dreamed this would happen, Harry. And you were right as well, I never should have let that woman into this school. Currently, I am finding it hard to extract her… But that doesn't matter now. Please get some rest and know that many of us are only focused on keeping you safe."

At that point, Severus Snape walked through the still open door. Tonks wanted to kick herself for not closing it, she left it open as a hint for the Headmaster to keep his visit short. The one Professor Harry despised almost as much as Umbridge walked in.

Professor Snape seemed subdued. "I've brewed another dose of the Dreamless Sleep Draught. I recommend Mr. Potter take it twelve hours before he intends to wake up."

Professor Flitwick took the vial, "Thank you Severus." He sat it down beside Harry.

During the transportation of it, Harry noticed Flitwick sniffed the concoction. Apparently, he didn't trust the Potion master very much either. Snape noticed the gesture, but simply sneered and said nothing.

A few more words of sincere sympathy were expressed, then the faculty departed. As they left, Professor Snape stopped and looked back at Harry for a moment. He was weighing his thoughts very carefully.

Snape quietly said, "Mr. Potter, if you decide to take another Familiar, I recommend choosing one that doesn't stand out. A barn owl, perhaps." He delivered the message calmly and evenly. Harry stared up at the man. Professor McGonagall gasped and Tonks slammed the door in his face.

Draco had watched the exchange and groaned, placing his face in his hands. He had always known Professor Snape was both a brilliant Wizard and a socially awkward man. Harry would just see his parting comments as cruel comment meant to cause him pain. Draco knew Professor Snape was trying to give him good advice. Advice he himself had planned to give Harry when the trauma of losing his Familiar lessened. The timing was atrocious, but the advice was sound.

Tonks went over and sat beside Harry. "Ignore him Harry. Mum will be back soon, and we'll get you out of here. Just be patient."

Harry asked, "Why are we still here?" It was a flat and monotone question.

Tonks hated answering this question. "We need to stay until the investigation is over. The town house is under a… questionably legal Fidelius, so by staying here no one will look into why they can't reach you."

Harry accepted that.

After about an hour, Andromeda came by with Mr. Felder from the Black Family Lawyers. They went over the events that occurred leading up to his accidental magic. Harry was certain Umbridge was either directly or indirectly responsible. Draco agreed. He had also seen her smirking maliciously.

Mr. Felder briefed the family on how Minister Fudge was trying to hold Harry accountable for his Accidental Magic. Apparently, a few students suffered minor injuries when they slipped and fell on the ice. The solicitor pulled no punches and made it clear that Fudge was trying to have Harry deemed dangerously unstable to ensure no one believed his story about Voldemort.

Andromeda asked him the same question Harry had, "Mr. Felder, should we be worried?"

The man shook his head. "Not about this. I'll take care of the investigation, but you have enemies Mr. Potter. Vicious enemies in positions of power. You need to be far more vigilant and cease acting like you are invulnerable."

Harry was painfully aware of his painful lesson in vulnerability. Discussing it further served no purpose. His cavalier attitude cost Hedwig her life.

Harry looked directly at Mr. Felder and asked, "Can we have Umbridge prosecuted?"

Mr. Felder pursed his lips. "It is highly unlikely. However, you are the future Lord Black. I feel certain you will handle things. Just remember what I said. Don't be overconfident or reckless."

Harry calmly said, "Understood, Mr. Felder." He had adopted his practiced emotionless demeanour. The statement was delivered as a serial killer might. Cold as ice.

Mr. Felder's eyes were like ice. He smiled cruelly. "You are learning, Mr. Potter."

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Hogwarts**

**The Great Hall**

**February 16, 1996**

**Friday, 8 AM**

John Dawlish was preparing the small room off to the side of the Great Hall for his interviews. Minister Fudge made it clear what he expected the outcome to be. Harry Potter would be deemed mentally unstable and he should be quietly sent away to St. Mungo's for an extended stay in the Janus Thickey Ward. Dawlish had conflicted feelings on this. He had visited the Malfoy Manor and there definitely was evidence to support the boy's claim. Whether You-Know-Who was back or not didn't change that something was happening. The puzzle pieces just didn't add up unless you believed the boy's story. But his story was not something most of the citizens of Magical Britain wanted to accept. He sure didn't. The last time You-Know-Who was making his bid for power, the death rate among Aurors was terrible.

On the other hand, Amelia Bones would be retiring soon, and Dawlish knew Fudge could get him the top spot. Still, to send a child to the Janus Thickey Ward at St. Mungo's seemed excessive. He prided himself on making smart career choices, but there was still a shadow of a conscience inside the man. Add in the fact that Harry Potter was a national hero and this could all blow up in everyone's faces. He'd conduct his interviews and make his decision after the fact. He needed to find out if Harry Potter was worth throwing his career away for.

As he settled in, Harry's Solicitor stepped into the room. Dawlish knew he had to tread lightly around most lawyers, but especially this group. Their viciousness was legendary.

John Dawlish turned on his professional charm. "Sir, I'm not seeing anyone for another thirty minutes. I have to kindly ask you to wait outside."

"Certainly Mr. Dawlish. But in the meantime, I encourage you to review the content of this folder." He casually set it down in front of the Auror. "I'll see you in thirty minutes."

John Dawlish waved his wand over the folder but detected no charms or curses. Opening it up, he found photographs, copies of documents, and sworn testimony. Three years ago, he had made a simple mistake… Profitable, but still a mistake. Not in what he did, but in that he had not been vigilant enough. The evidence here would destroy him. He nervously banished the content of the envelope and sat down. What options did he have?

Fifteen minutes later, Mr. Felder stepped back into the room. "Well, Sr. Auror Dawlish… I hope you don't mind if I return early. Did you have a moment to review the content of the envelope? I trust you understand the gravity of the evidence in my firm's possession." Seeing the Auror look at him in stunned silence, he added, "Harry Potter had a simple case of Accidental Magic. Given the scandalous attack on his Familiar, it really is understandable."

John knew they had him. "And Umbridge?" Obviously, he would have to throw her to the wolves… That was something he could do guilt free. Attacking a Familiar… who raised her?

The solicitor sat down. "Well John, that's tricky. You don't mind if I call you 'John' do you? Good." Mr. Felder calmly tapped his chin. "We feel certain she is the culprit, but we also believe pursuing that would be ill-timed. So, unless there is hard evidence…" He then shrugged.

What the solicitor didn't say was that Mr. Potter needs to handle this himself. His superiors were impressed when he stepped up at Gringotts, but there were still lingering doubts. Harry Potter needed to continue stepping up and showing his mettle. If only his magic would return faster…

John was quiet for a good three minutes. Three minutes was a long time when no one was talking. An awfully long and painfully uncomfortable time.

Dawlish finally said, "What do I tell Minister Fudge?"

Mr. Felder smiled. It was not a kind smile. "Tell him he should have been more discrete in Prague three years ago." His smile turned into a sneer.

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Hogwarts**

**The Chamber of Secrets**

**February 15, 1996**

**Saturday, 2 AM**

That night, Harry slipped out of the suite. He had managed to bypass the wards that Tonks had set up with a simple Runic design. Her ward setting was amateurish at best. Harry reflected however, that it was a good thing she could fight, because she'd never be a curse-breaker. Even in his reduced magical state, he could effortlessly set it into a circular feedback loop allowing him to get out. With his cloak and the Marauder's map, it was simple work to get to the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry carefully crept up one of the side chambers he had discovered last year*. The one that led up to Professor Snape's office. After sitting through a day of pointed interviews, he was ready to lash out. Dolores Umbridge might not be accessible, but he hadn't forgotten Snape's parting comment about picking a less spectacular owl. That man had made him miserable for the last five years, he was due for a little payback. For all Harry knew, Snape was a part of the attack on Hedwig. He had killed Franklin, his snake… why not his owl?

Harry checked the map and opened his senses to check for wards. Without a wand, any complex ward would be enough to call the trip off, but how would Snape know to ward his back wall? To his enhanced perception, it was free of wards. Checking his map again, he confirmed once more that Snape was in his personal quarters. Just to be sure no paintings saw him; he got under his invisibility cloak and shifted his vision to an OWL's ability to see in the dark. He pulled a lever to remove the massive deadbolt and grasped the handle. Hopefully, it wouldn't break. The wall was heavy, being six to eight inches thick and made of stone. The hinges complained slightly, but the hidden door slowly opened. Harry noted that the hinges had to have been enchanted not to seize up.

The office was large and had room for potions to brew. It had trace amounts of light from various magical indirect sources. He could operate simply fine. Likely they were here to aid the house elves. Additionally, there were also two small points of light given off from heating elements under a pair of cauldrons. Looking up, Harry could see there was a magical ventilation system… the steam and fumes rose and were banished upon contact with the ceiling.

Further review showed there were no portraits or paintings in this room, apparently the professor liked his privacy. That made this easier. Searching the room, Harry noted a strange panel glowing faintly. Focusing on his hearing, he could hear a cauldron bubbling**. Obviously, this was a hidden compartment of some kind with what appeared to be a potion simmering. With a little investigation he found a small latch to open the panel.

The panel didn't appear to be warded. He inspected it closer. An alarm was attached, but he pulled out two small cubes. They were simple curse-breaker cubes, like the ones he used on the door to his suite. Hmmm. Snape had extremely powerful and intricate charms, wards, and alarms on the door to his office and even on a few of his desk drawers, but he apparently didn't bother with the hidden panel. How uncharacteristically naive. Perhaps he planned to continuously add ingredients and he doesn't expect anyone to come in through the back wall. Ingredients... this could be interesting.

Harry checked the map, all secure. Snape was still in his quarters, but he was moving around. He originally just planned to come in here and trash the place, now he had a much better plan. Working on the panel, he managed to divert the alarm and open it up. Any Novice curse-breaker could have done this with ease. Inside was a medium cauldron that appeared to be still in process. The ingredients seemed rather basic, except for one. Near the back was a small tray holding three large leathery eggs and radiating a type of stasis charm. At least, Harry thought they were snake eggs… About as large as a cricket ball. Then, realisation dawned on him. They were Runespoor eggs!

Harry only knew of one use for Runespoor eggs, Baruffio's Brain Elixir. Snape was helping Slytherins cheat! No wonder Crabbe and Goyle somehow managed to slither their way through each year. They were stupid as rocks. Snape was helping them cheat. Probably a few others as well. He wasn't familiar with this recipe, though. He checked his map; Snape was still in his quarters.

Harry stepped through the back-entry point and out of the office but kept the massive stone door open. "Kreacher!"

After maybe thirty seconds, Kreacher appeared. "Master was hard for Kreacher to find." He was looking around. "Where is Master?"

"Hello Kreacher. I'm in the Chamber of Secrets. Well, a staircase up from the Chamber." Kreacher looked extremely impressed. "I need you to do something for me, I need you to bring me the potions book at the house. The one Professor Slughorn gave me. The beaten up one that is probably beside my bed. I also need you to bring me three chicken eggs."

Kreacher smiled and left. Harry watched Snape moving around. He just stepped away from his wardrobe and his feet were fidgeting about. He was dressing! Harry went back into the office and took one of the Runespoor eggs. Looking at it for a second, he placed it back and picked up a different one. He didn't really know why, but the one currently in his hand just felt right. When he shifted his vision, he could see a tiny snake all coiled up. He thought he counted two heads, all twisted up. But he knew there were three. He just somehow knew it. Stepping back out of the office, He waited and watched the map. As he watched, Snape began to leave his quarters. Harry figured he had perhaps 5 minutes…

Kreacher appeared. Harry frantically thumbed through the book until he found the recipe. Apparently, whoever wrote in the margins detailed out a variant that was not traceable and reliable. But the balance of ingredients was critical.

"Kreacher, I need you to take one chicken egg and transfigure it to look exactly like the egg I am holding."

Kreacher looked at the chicken eggs. He had brought three. "Master only wants one?"

"Yes Kreacher. More than one would result in discovery. I need the potion to look right." Seeing Kreacher's confusion, he added, "I am paying back someone who has hurt me. One egg won't change the look of the potion, but it will have delayed effects. More than one would cause the potion to have a different colour. It would also result in an immediate reaction. I need a nice and unexpected delayed reaction." Looking at the recipe and the notes, he added, "Make the transfiguration last about an hour and a half or so. No more than two."

Getting even was something Kreacher understood. He smiled and went to work. After about a minute, he was done. He had really put extra power into the Transfiguration and it looked great. He then croaked out "Revenge." He handed the near perfect replica back to Harry. Harry noted it had a faint trace of Kreacher's work, but only because he was so sensitive since the accident. Snape would only notice if he actively checked. Given the weak wards on the panel, Snape was trusting the front door warding to be sufficient.

Harry looked at the map and saw Snape was walking down the corridor. Fortunately, he was moving slowly, or this would be a rush job. Harry darted back in, placed the fake egg back on the stasis tray, and very carefully reset the panel and the alarms. He then swiftly exited through the back office and carefully shut and locked the hidden door. He and Kreacher then quietly walked down the staircase. About halfway down, Harry noticed Snape had entered his office. Kreacher did something to prevent squeaking, and they then arrived at the bottom of the chamber. Kreacher just looked on in awe.

Harry gave him a brief tour, then handed back the potions book and the spare eggs and sent Kreacher on his way. After Kreacher left, Harry realised he was still holding the Runespoor egg. It would make a good souvenir. If it didn't become rotten. Maybe it would even hatch.

He spoke to the egg and said, "Hello, I just saved you from a watery death. Now what to do with you…" He noticed the egg pulsed a bit as he talked. Was he speaking in Parseltongue? Shrugging his shoulders, he placed the egg in his pocket and made his way back to his room. He had been gone at least an hour; it was unlikely he hadn't been missed. That's OK. He'd just say he went to the chamber to get away from it all.

To Harry's immense surprise, no one noticed he had been out. He gently removed the bypasses of the alarm on the door and went into the bathroom and changed back into his pyjamas and climbed back into bed. He was still holding the Runespoor egg, so he just placed it under his chin and curled up.

" _§Goodnight egg. Sleep tight§."_

Harry felt a sense of calmness as he held the egg. It pulsed when he spoke, then settled down. He suddenly felt less empty. He still felt loss and pain, but it was somehow less searing. No, he wasn't happy, but he felt his magic calming. It stopped roiling about inside him. And he fell into a deep sleep…

About an hour later, there was a deep rumbling noise heard in the distance. Harry knew parts of the castle probably shook. Snape's Potion just exploded. Obviously, Snape hadn't been there to note the sudden smoke before it exploded, or he would have simply banished it. Without a doubt, the content of his office was now destroyed. Harry smiled. It was a beginning.

" _§Go to sleep my little egg. Tomorrow promises to be an eventful day§."_

And Harry rolled over and drifted off. He couldn't reach his dreamscape, but he knew damage had been done and was likely in the process of being repaired. He dreamed of eggs and potions and owls. It wasn't necessarily a happy dream, but it was calming.

He slept till noon.

— **Dance of Death 31—**

When Harry finally did awake, he felt more stable. After Hedwig had been killed, his concentration was nowhere near what it had been. But he was feeling like himself now. Sad and angry over the loss of his beloved Hedwig, but at least his mind was focused. He showered and dressed in the bathroom. He kept his egg with him. Walking out into the small common area, he saw it was quite crowded. Fortunately, the individuals in the room were all allies, friends, and family. Bill, Andromeda, Remus, Tonks, Draco, Mr. Felder, Ted, and Mr. Weasley. Seriously, the room looked like a clown car. It seriously wasn't this large.

Seeing Harry, Andromeda approached him. "Hadrian, Mr. Felder and I need to meet with you and discuss the investigation. My husband and William have also requested to be present. Edward is a trained solicitor and wishes to be kept abreast while you are currently apprenticed to William. If you would prefer, we can keep the number smaller." Harry noted the use of his formal name, Hadrian. This was in no way a social discussion.

Harry saw the others in the room watching him. Waiting for his response. Mr. Weasley gave him one of those sympathetic and supportive smiles he was so good at. Harry knew Ted had been a Potter solicitor and it was good to have him near in case of emergencies. Bill was the person he trusted completely… so, no issues.

Harry said, "That's fine. I just want to get some tea."

Andromeda nodded, "Certainly. You've been through a lot this week. We'll use the suite across the hall."

Harr followed the four adults as they crossed the hallway and entered a different suite. It was basically the same and Harry could tell this was where Andromeda and Ted had set up. Unlike the suite Harry was in, this one had a small food preparation area and a table. Harry made a point to hold Andromeda's chair out for her, then he sat down. There was a steaming mug in front of each chair. Harry and Andromeda had tea while Bill and Mr. Felder had black coffee, not tea.

Before they got down to business, Bill asked, "How are you, Harry? I know this has been rough…"

Bill had told Harry years ago that most Wizards and Witches don't take Familiars due to the pain of the loss when they died. But a murdered Familiar was far worse. The suddenness was worse than having your wand snapped. He could personally attest to that. Bill had once had a co-worker with a Mongoose Familiar, but it had been killed in a tomb. It took him a year to get past it. Harry just never thought it would happen to him.

"I'm coping, Bill. I just want to see justice done. We all know who did this…"

Mr. Felder sipped his coffee, then said, "I'm pleased to inform you that there will be no charges against you for the unfortunate incident of Accidental Magic." Seeing Harry's surprised look, he added, "There were questions regarding the wilfulness of the incident."

Harry laughed at that, "Right. I wanted to damage my own magic further…"

Mr. Felder looked somewhat concerned, "How much damage was done?"

Harry shrugged, "Nothing I won't heal from. But I'm sure it set me back a bit." Harry noted Mr. Felder relaxed slightly.

Andromeda asked, "Mr. Felder, what is the status of the investigation on the attack on Hadrian's Familiar?" That got everyone's attention.

Mr. Felder pursed his lips, "There's not enough evidence to prove anyone guilty." Seeing Harry begin to grow angry, he stated, "Sometimes, justice takes time and planning, Heir Black. Sometimes, we have to force the justice that is so richly deserved."

Bill did a double take, "No. Harry, don't do anything you'll regret."

Mr. Felder didn't even look at Bill, "Do you remember how you managed your cousin's claim to the Black Estate? This is similar. Take a personal hand and bring that woman to justice. But don't do it… rashly."

Andromeda cleared her throat, "That's not helping Mr. Felder. Harry is the next Lord Black and justice will be served. One way or another. I'll see to that."

Ted was watching and listening. There was nothing professional about this discussion, but he needed to be prepared if anything untoward occurred from it. The Iopos law firm was shady on the brightest day, less so on days like today.

Mr. Felder continued looking at Harry. "You will learn to delegate and trust in others to manage your affairs. But this is personal… Don't let others manage this."

Andromeda had heard enough. "That'll be all, Mr. Felder."

He ignored her. "Tell me Heir Black, did you have anything to do with Professor Snape's… difficulties last night?"

Andromeda was about to force a closure to the discussion, but she wanted to hear this.

Harry looked at Mr. Felder and adopted his occlumency enhanced emotionless demeanour. "What difficulties would that be, Mr. Felder?" Harry noted both Bill and Andromeda did a double take and looked away. They knew him too well.

Mr. Felder smiled. "Excellent answer. Now, you have numerous tells that don't involve emotional reactions. Work with Lady Black on eliminating them. If anyone asks about last night's events, give the same answer, but don't chew your lip. That tell is one even an amateur would pick up. If pressed, send any inquisitors to me and refuse to discuss it further."

Andromeda looked at Harry, "Nymphadora said her door alarm was still active. There's no way you could have gotten out without a triggering it…" Then she realised something and looked at Bill who had an amused and uncomfortable look on his face.

Bill said, "Door alarms are the first thing we each our initiates to get past. It is a pre-requisite for even taking the Novice exam."

Harry decided there was no point in denying what everyone had already figured out, "Mr. Felder, if a teacher was brewing a batch of Baruffio's Brain Elixir for students that he wished to assist, would that be looked for in an investigation? Is this something I could… delegate?"

Mr. Felder smiled. "You are a quick student, Heir Black. I may have a bit of influence with Auror Dawlish."

Harry simply said, "Thank you."

Ted Tonks wanted to run screaming from the room. Fleamont Potter would never have put him in a position like this. But this was his wife…

Ted asked his first questions, and it was a good one, "Mr. Felder, why was an Auror put in charge of an investigation like this? Surely this is a standard DMLE case. Auror's only investigate more serious crimes that involve potential Dark Wizards…"

Bill said, "I wondered about that, too."

Mr. Felder smirked, "Apparently, Minister Fudge personally assigned Sr. Auror Dawlish to the case. However, he won't be getting the outcome he expected."

That sobered everyone up. The minister was targeting Harry…

Lady Black seemed to freeze over and stated, "Apparently the House of Black has a new adversary to contend with."

Harry looked at his Guardian and was impressed. This was a woman who didn't shy away from conflict. Maybe marrying a solicitor had been an exceptionally good move… except for the whole 'cast out of the family' issue a couple of decades ago.

Mr. Felder then produced the current copy of the Daily Prophet and presented a few articles where Minister Fudge was expressing extreme concerns over the declining standards at Hogwarts. The slaying of Harry's Familiar was an indicatory of just how far Hogwarts had fallen. He was using the murder of Harry's Familiar to get even more control through Umbridge… She was being given more authority than before and Dumbledore was having his authority reduced.

Harry stared at Mr. Felder in disbelief. That woman murdered Hedwig and was now profiting from it. There was no way this would go unanswered. Oh, hell no.

Harry had heard enough, and he didn't want to extend this discussion. Looking at Andromeda, he proposed, "I'll deal with Umbridge. You worry about the Minister." Andromeda seemed disturbed by that.

She said, "Harry, do nothing rash. You need to learn patience. Given time, she will slip up and we'll have her."

Harry stared back at his guardian with the same emotionless face he had learned to adopt, "I was rash and reckless before. Hedwig paid the price for my naivety. I won't make the same mistake again."

Bill stressed, "Harry, be careful. She may seem cartoonish in her pink cardigans, but she's dangerous."

Harry looked back at his mentor, "So am I."

— **DoD—**

The five of them returned to Harry's shared suite and Harry was as polite as possible as he met with everyone in the room who wished to express their sympathies. At one point the Headmaster and a few teachers came by, but these were short visits due to the limited space and the number of people in the room. It all went by in a blur. It was nice to have so many people checking in on him, but he just wanted to be left alone. To grieve.

As the parade of supporters finally began to dwindle, it was just Harry, Andromeda, Tonks, and Draco. Bill, Ted, and Mr. Felder were now subject to 'Visiting Hours' and had to leave. This was a new policy created by Umbridge and, like it or not, it was the rule. Andromeda was Harry's Guardian and his healer, so she couldn't be forced to leave without her charge. Tonks was still an Auror assigned to protect Harry when he had his unpleasant fight with Piers and his gang, so she was allowed as well. She confessed that the Minister was pressuring Robards to end the protection detail and as soon as he could pull it off without looking bad, he would. But for now, she was still his 'bodyguard'.

The four of them ate together in Andromeda's suite as it had a dining table. It was a quiet meal and Harry found himself constantly holding his new 'egg' in his lap and under his napkin. It was leathery and very comforting to hold. Quietly, he wondered what he would do if it ever hatched. Set it free in Greece perhaps. Or were they from Africa? He really needed to do a little research on Runespoors. All he knew was that they were magical three headed snakes with extremely lethal venom and a degree of magical resistance in line with an Acromantula. Not an animal to take lightly. But if it was so dangerous, why did it have such a calming effect on him?

During dinner, Andromeda made a point to tell him how well-mannered he was. Harry smiled politely, he knew she was just trying to say something nice and make him feel better. He was fifteen and congratulating him on table manners felt weird. He took consolation in the fact that at least she was trying. The fact that she fell back on table manners showed how awkward this was for her. Even Draco did a double take.

What even was he to Draco? Not really a friend, but not an enemy either. Not anymore. His dad, yes. But he was more of a… something. But with the contracts Draco and his mum signed, they couldn't be enemies even if they really wanted to. Maybe he should test the 'alliance'.

Looking at his old rival, Harry asked, "Um, Draco. What's the word from Slytherin house? What are they saying?"

Draco looked at him blankly for a moment. "They all think you are crazy powerful after what happened in the Great Hall. It's helped my standing quite a bit. No one thinks I intentionally lost our duel now. Most simply think you're magic is dangerously unstable and that's why you don't have a wand." After taking a moment to reflect, he added, "They also think Umbridge is vulgar for what she did. Enough of them heard you in the courtyard and they're now calling her the 'Pure-blood Poser'."

Harry smiled at the nickname. "So, she's losing her support base."

Draco shook his head. "No, not really. They just don't respect her. They'll take whatever extra authority she'll give out and feign admiration. She's even forming a new group of students focused on enforcing discipline. Mostly Slytherins, but a few Ravenclaws, too. But after what she did, we all know she has no upbringing. Even Fudge is probably looking critically at her."

Draco continued while he finished up his meal. "Also, in discussion is the explosion in Professor Snape's office. He apparently lost a great deal of personal materials as well as a few potions he had been brewing for weeks if not months. There are maybe eight to ten students that rely on his potions to maintain their grades. Professor Snape believes he was sold transfigured ingredients. He plans to really go after his personal apothecary. Most of his personal stores were ruined. Replacing them will not be easy or inexpensive."

Harry listened to all this numbly. He was glad to hear his midnight run had impacted Snape so directly. For the rest, he struggling to care one way or the other, but he made a sincere effort since he still had friends here. Harry wondered how he may have been different had allowed the hat to sort him to Slytherin? Would he have been a self-centred ladder climber? Surely, they weren't all like that.

As dinner was ending, there was a brief knock on the door. Tonks answered it and it was the headmaster. Tonks invited him in, it was his school after all.

"Mr. Potter. Mr. Malfoy. I wanted to let you both know that you may depart tomorrow at your convenience. All the evaluations came back very nicely for the both of you." Looking at Harry he added, "I understand Professor Babbling even mentioned a possible Mastery. I'm just sorry for the unpleasant turn."

Harry didn't really know what to say. "Thank you, Professor."

Dumbledore smiled sombrely. "I confess, I had two other reasons to see you. Your friends asked Minerva to deliver this to you." He handed Harry a letter. "Also, Hagrid wishes to see you tomorrow morning. He built a… small casket for Hedwig and hopes to give it to you directly."

Harry nodded. He wanted to claim her remains before he left. "Thank you, Professor. I'll visit him around 8AM, then perhaps we can depart around… ten or so." Andromeda nodded when he looked her way.

"Very well. Now, I have a staff meeting at eight and I expect it to be a long one. Good night to you all."

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Hogwarts**

**Empty Classroom**

**February 15, 1996**

**Saturday, 8:15 PM**

The letter Dumbledore had delivered was from Ginny. She was asking Harry to meet her in the library at 8PM. Harry knew he couldn't give Tonks the slip again, so he just asked her to tag along. She didn't seem to mind.

Once Harry and Tonks arrived, Ginny gave him a hug and seemed to just hold on to him. She didn't say much, only how sorry she was about Hedwig. She cried a bit and Harry had always known how much she liked Hedwig. After a few minutes, she stepped back, wiped her eyes, and led Harry and Tonks to an empty classroom near the Gryffindor common room. Waiting inside were Hermione, Luna, Neville, and Colin.

They all made a show of support. Colin was devastated over everything that had happened; he'd been blaming himself. Hermione looked scared and Neville looked furious. Luna had been crying. Being around others who shared in his grief helped. These were his closest friends and Ginny was more than a friend. Tonks was like an older sister. She could be kind of annoying, but she was always there for support. Harry reassured Colin that he didn't do anything wrong. But he was most bothered by Hermione's nervousness. The fact that she seemed afraid.

"Hermione, what aren't you telling me?" Ginny gave his hand a squeeze. Yes, he was still holding it.

"Harry, you know we've formed a defence study group. Well, it's against the educational decrees and Umbridge is getting even more power now. We've been fortunate and we've managed to avoid detections. We have a few Prefects and the Head Boy in the group." Harry tensed a bit at the mention of the Head Boy. Hermione realised he was still angry with Cedric. "But Umbridge is forming a new disciplinary group and… I don't know if we can evade them. Dodging Umbridge is difficult enough, but a dozen extra inquisitors…"

Neville added to her statement, "These aren't just prefects either Harry. These are the school thugs. Mostly Slytherins and not the high achievers. These are the Crabbe's and the Goyle's of Slytherin House."

Harry knew what that meant. Bullies who enjoyed tormenting the other students. "Are all of them that bad?"

Hermione shook her head, "There a few who aren't so bad. But they'll still turn us in if they catch us. And now that Umbridge has more authority… Getting caught won't be pleasant."

After considering this a moment, Harry took The Marauders Map out and handed it to Ginny. "Return this when I come back for my OWLs. And _please_ don't lose it."

Tonks walked over and looked at it. "I know this map." She laughed. "Every generation of Pranksters finds it in Filch's office. Extremely useful."

Harry could tell she was considering doing the mature thing and turning it in. "They need it Tonks. You know what Umbridge is capable of." With that statement, she hesitantly handed the map back to Ginny. Ginny and Hermione knew how to use it. They'd make sure everyone was safe.

Hermione hugged him, "Thank you, Harry. I know how much that map means to you."

Thirty minutes later, Tonks was escorting Harry back to the suite and she asked, "So, why does the map mean so much to you? I know the Weasley twins had it once. Charlie and I had it back in our day. What makes it special to you, Harry? No offence, but you don't seem like a prankster." She was genuinely curious.

Harry smiled and said, "Prongs was my father." Tonks stopped and stared. He continued, "Padfoot is Sirius, Moony is Remus, and Worm tail is Pettigrew. I really wish I could remove his stain from it…"

Tonks could only say, "Wow."

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Hogwarts**

**The Headmaster's Chambers**

**February 15, 1996**

**Sunday, 10AM**

Harry had visited Hagrid and received the beautiful carved box containing Hedwig's remains. This brought back much of the grief and the huge man held Harry while he worked past it. It was different now. When Hedwig was killed, he had been crippled with grief and sadness. Now he knew the person that killed Hedwig had maliciously prospered from it. He was no longer grief ridden. He was now equal parts grief and anger.

He made his way with Hagrid to the Headmaster's office where he and his companions were using the floo to get to a neutral site where they could Apparate back to Grimmauld Place. In addition to Andromeda, Tonks, and Draco, there were also Dumbledore's heads of house present. Plus, one Dolores Umbridge. Harry cranked up his occlumency and killed any emotion he had. He didn't want to say or do anything he would regret.

Harry intentionally avoided looking at Umbridge, Snape and McGonagall. Dumbledore got a simple handshake and a thank you. Professor McGonagall seemed saddened at his avoidance, but Snape was just brooding in the corner. He must have lost a great deal in the explosion. As Harry thought about it, a potion brewing for weeks or months was a big deal. Polyjuice or something similar? Maybe Voldemort was waiting on those potions. Good. Umbridge cleared her throat a few times, but no one looked her way. Tonks went first into the fireplace and flooed away. Then Draco. Harry stepped forward only to hear Umbridge give her parting remarks.

Umbridge said, "Mr. Potter, I sincerely hope you have learned something this week. It's important everyone understands their place in the grand order of things. Have you Mr. Potter?" A few other teachers made noises. But she continued, "Have you learned your place?"

Harry stepped in the fireplace and used his new Occlumency trick to kill all his emotion. Before departing, he turned to stare at the repugnant woman. He could see Dumbledore pleading with his eyes for Harry to say nothing. That wasn't happening.

"I've learned a great deal, Professor Umbridge. Soon, I'll be the one doing the teaching. I have plenty of lessons to give." Between his emotional occlumency and his intentional malice, Harry left little doubt as to his intent. Before she could retort, he flooed away.

Andromeda stepped up to Dolores. She towered over the diminutive woman. "Dolores. Do you have any idea what a Blood Feud is?"

Dolores smiled. "Yes, Andromeda. I also know only the Lord of an Ancient and Noble family can call one. Not an Heir and not a Proxy." And she smiled in her sickeningly sweet way.

Andromeda raised one eyebrow. "In seventeen months, Harry will be of age. He will claim the Lordship of House Black and he will have the authority to call a Blood Feud. In case you've forgotten, the House of Black isn't just Ancient and Noble, it is Ancient and _Most_ Noble. You would do well to research what happens when an Ancient and _Most_ Noble house declares a Blood Feud."

Dolores didn't have to research it. She knew. Slowly it began to dawn on her that perhaps she should have been more… restrained. Even Cornelius couldn't do anything about an Ancient and **Most** Noble Blood Feud. As the dread began creeping up on her, she swallowed hard and loud. She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out. She had dug a hole that was simply too deep. Andromeda smiled and Dolores remembered why everyone feared the Black sisters in school. Then, the Lady Black turned around and gracefully walked toward the fireplace.

As Andromeda entered the fireplace and flooed away, Dolores felt an unearthly chill settle in. She had seventeen months… Then her life would be diminished. All she had worked for… gone.

She had to do something. Something decisive.

There was only one thing she think of.

Harry Potter must not reach his seventeenth birthday.

— **Dance of Death 31—**

**Next: Harry finds his Wyld Side**

**Also: Remember when I said tragedies come in threes? Well, Harry has one more to go, then he starts 'giving back to the community' in ways it so richly deserves. I approached the issue with Hedwig as something that affected him very deeply and very magically. It really wiped him out and put his magic into a tailspin. Losing a loved pet can be devastating, but a familiar is even more so.**

***Chapter 12. Yep, this was planned all along. Unfortunately, it took me nearly 20 chapters to get here. Well, things will speed up now.**

****Owls have even better hearing than they do night vision.**


	32. Chapter 32

— **Dance of Death 32—**

**Harry slowly recovered from his Familiar being murdered, but he was still struggling with the loss. It was a painful lesson that made him question his natural tendency to lead with action and think later. Before leaving Hogwarts, Harry sabotaged a potion Snape was brewing resulting in the destruction of the Potion Master's office. He stole a Runespoor egg from Snape's office and had grown overly attached to it. Additionally, he perfected the use of Occlumency to hide his emotions.**

**Andromeda reminded Dolores Umbridge that she was a Carp swimming with exotic fish. Dolores realised how badly she had screwed up and was now considering her options. None of her options ended with Harry seeing seventeen years old.**

**Draco and Harry returned to Grimmauld Place and pick up on their training. Two weeks had passed.**

**Parseltongue =** _**"§Parseltongue§"** _

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

— **Dance of Death 32—**

**Tragedy -** **"An event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe."**

**~online dictionary**

**Chapter 32: Wyld Dreams**

**Grimmauld Place**

**February 29, 1996**

**Friday**

Harry sat quietly in his room, reflecting on his plans. After returning from Hogwarts, he buried his beloved owl and gave a silent vow to make Umbridge pay for what she had done. To do that, he needed to survive the coming war and decisively beat his enemies. He needed to become even better than great. He needed to be the next Dumbledore or Grindelwald. He needed to cross the threshold between great wizards and legendary wizards. Harry considered his training and realised he still had room to increase the intensity.

Survival was his drive, not OWLs or academic pursuits. Hobbies were something Harry no longer had time for. Remus was teaching him the way criminals and low life scum thought. Tonks took the other side and was showing him how law enforcement operated. She seemed to get as much from Remus' training as Harry. Narcissa was teaching him how the elite thought and behaved… but it was her knowledge of his future enemies that really interested him. Who would care if he held a spoon correctly if he got killed the next day? But knowing where Avery or Nott Sr. liked to eat breakfast could be useful.

Bill was teaching him about curses, but his training with sensing and understanding magic was pure survival. Tonks was now incorporating that into surprise attacks and dodging exercises. He had this magic sensing gift before his injuries, but it was more sensitive now. He was learning to tell the nature of different spells and curses as well as their general patterns. When his magic returned fully, it would pair very well with his curse-breaker training. Allowing him to better understand the lingering magical patterns and to 'un-weave' even the darkest of curses.

Hedwig's death was a real wakeup call. It marked the true end of his childhood and a change in his focus. Who would be next if he was weak? Ginny? Hermione? Neville? No, that can't happen. He'd tighten up. Learn all he could and ignore anything that slowed him down. He looked at his Black Heir ring and noted the part that designated him the 'knight' was glowing softly.

— **Dance of Death 32—**

**Dreamscape**

**March 1, 1996**

Harry instinctively knew he was asleep. He was on that path he so frequently took in his sleep. The path that always led to his parent's house. He had a toddler on his shoulders, playing with his hair. She seemed to just love everything about his messed-up mop of hair. She was babbling a little song that only she knew the words to. Holding his left hand was a very intense and focused toddler. She seemed to be ready to act on a moment's notice. Very much like Tonks. Holding his right hand was a toddler that was just absorbing everything. Harry instinctively knew she was an intellectual. Like Hermione.

The only thing that surprised him was the fact that he wasn't surprised at all. These were _his girls_. He loved them and they loved him. End of story… Or was it? Where had they come from and who were they? How could he love them so much if he didn't even know them?

A familiar voice behind him said, "They're your Familiars, Harry."

Harry turned and saw exactly who he expected. She was just as beautiful as ever, covered in thorns and perfect in every way. Teeth like razors and blood red lips. The very person he was looking for.

Harry smiled. "Rose."

She walked over to him on that little path through the forest. Through his tangled mind and his damaged magic. How could anyone covered in thorns be so graceful? He was about to accept her offer when she placed her finger over his mouth. A small thorn pierced his lower lip and drew blood.

"No, Harry. You're in no state of mind to accept my offer. Even your girls think you need to stop."

Harry noticed the toddlers were trying their hardest to pull him back. The one on his shoulders was yanking his hair so hard he thought she might pull it all out. They looked determined; they were trying to protect him.

Harry whispered to them, _"§Shhhhhhh. It's Ok little ones. Come here, now. That's right§."_

They slithered up into his arms. Now he was holding all three. The two girls on his arms were wrapped around tightly, while the one in his hair was coiled around his neck, tight, but not too tight to breathe. It was exactly the way he needed it to be. Perfect. But something was missing… His Owl.

"Hedwig." He said her name so faintly he could barely hear himself.

Rose smiled at him, but it was a sad smile, "Yes, Harry. Hedwig has moved on. Her loss caused… an upheaval. But your girls helped calm the storm."

Harry was beginning to gain focus and understanding. He cradled the egg in his hand and watched the shape within twist and turn. So full of life. How he wished he could hold her. Hadn't he been holding her? Holding them? Just a moment ago… Weren't they little girls?

"You need to focus, Harry. Find your centre and focus. The damage done was more emotional than physical… Your core will heal. Perhaps an additional month will be needed, but you _**are**_ still healing."

Harry looked at her. "Can I see my parents?"

"No, Harry. They're repairing your core. Come back in a month." She smiled and placed her hand on his cheek. "Soon." The thorns cut him but helped with his focus.

"The egg… When did I bond with it?"

Rose tilted her head and looked at the egg. "They bonded with you the minute you entered your former Potion Professor's office. I'm glad you put the other egg back and picked up your new Familiar. It would have been a shame to have lost them so soon after losing your owl."

Harry felt a pang of guilt at replacing Hedwig. She was so precious to him.

Rose placed her other thorny hand on his other cheek. Piercing even more of his face. "Hedwig will always be with you, but now she's watching from the spirit world. She would be proud of your choice."

Harry looked down at his egg, then back up at the night sky. Looming overhead was a rich full moon. The fact that it was all in his head didn't really matter.

"Artemis, Selene and Hecate… Three moon goddesses." He then kissed the egg and slowly woke up. He was still cradling his egg.

" _§Good morning beautiful§."_ It pulsed slightly in his hand. No one would harm his girls. Never again. He would kill or die to protect her. To protect them.

…Umbridge…

— **Dance of Death 32—**

**March 29, 1996**

**Harry's Dreamscape**

**Friday**

Harry was sitting on his parent's sofa in his dreamscape. He was putting the finishing touches on a new spell matrix. This brought his count to three. Over the next few weeks, he would begin strengthening them and enhancing them to be 'pre-charged' like they were before his magic was damaged. He had a dozen matrixes last year, but three would be a tolerable number until he was fully healed. One offensive spell, one defensive spell, and a general counter charm to dispel anything he couldn't dodge. Yes, the more powerful and complex spells would require a wand, but the basics were still the best. Disarming, shielding, and ' _Finite Incantatem_ ' were a good mix. With the matrix, he could theoretically cast any spell he placed in them through meditation wandlessly. A wand made it the spells more powerful and faster, but it was still effective.

His father's incarnation looked over at him. "So, the girls… what do we know about them?

Harry realised that he had all three beside him. Well, one on either side and one draped over his back. Sometimes they looked like little toddlers, other times like small snakes. They tended to get into everything, but they were nearly in a deep sleep now. Once they fell deeper asleep, they would look like an egg.

"According to Rose, I've bonded with a Runespoor as a Familiar and these girls are her projections. Funny that Hedwig was never in my dreamscape before." Harry had been wondering about that since Rose told him who the little girls were. Had Hedwig ever been in his dreams?

His mother's incarnation came over and began stroking one of the little girl's backs. "I have a theory on that. Hedwig was fully grown when you bonded to her and you were an eleven-year-old in need of a little mothering. Magic tends to give us what it wants. I suspect these girls will be a handful. But once they hatch, the dream access should end." She considered something for a moment, then added, "You should give Divination a real shot, Harry. You may have a gift."

Harry laughed, thinking she was joking. "Hardly. You never met Trelawney." He then added, "She always talked about her third eye and how insightful she was… she's just crazy as a loon!"

Harry suddenly realised he had heard that said about one of his friends. Luna Lovegood. Suddenly it wasn't so funny. Had people picked on Sybil Trelawney as a child?

Harry looked at his mum, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. But I don't plan to go back to Hogwarts, so there's no real point."

James shifted and said, "Well, about that… You should reconsider." Seeing Harry tense up, James added, "By June you should be able to use a wand for simple charms. By September, you will be at least as powerful and capable as the other sixth years. By the Yule Break you could even be fully healed. You'll definitely be fully healed by end of term."

Harry shrugged, "What's that got to do with going back. I can learn more here than I can there."

Lily shook her head, "No. Harry, with the knowledge we've transferred to you, your instructors are struggling to find challenges. Most of your day-to-day work is just reinforcing what you already know and improving your writing style. There are a few new elements, and the survival skills are impressive, but not new magic. Bill will have finished training you within a year. Tonks and Remus don't even bother with magic anymore. Good survival skills for certain, but not magic. And there really is only so much they can pass on regarding survival awareness. Hogwarts has some of the best NEWT level training in the magical world. You'd be foolish to pass it up."

Harry scoffed, "Like what?" He was irritated and it came out rude and disrespectful.

James spoke up, "Oi! Don't get like that. Professor Flitwick is more than a charms master. As a duelling prodigy, he can really help sharpen your combat skills. Despite his horrific taste in robes and his grandfatherly demeanour, Albus Dumbledore is the best Battle Wizard alive today. He'd tutor you, I'm sure. Anything to keep you from going to Beauxbatons."

Lily added, "The library is amazing and maybe Trelawney could help you unlock… something. Having your Familiar here in your dreamscape is truly special, even if it does end when she hatches." Lily thought for a minute, She… Them… It's confusing. Is it one Familiar with three heads or three Familiars with one body?

James then picked up with, "You would have become an owl Animagus long ago if not for the Horcrux. Minerva can help you complete that." After a moment, James added. "But don't take the potion. You don't need it and it'll lock you in to one specific form."

Harry considered this, then said, "I'll think about it. But not McGonagall. She let me down way too many times. I'll figure it out on my own."

— **Dance of Death 32—**

**Hogwarts**

**Room of Requirement**

**Defence Association**

**April 1, 1996**

Hermione walked around the other students as they practiced casting the Shield charm. This was not an easy spell, but the entire class was now reliably casting it. Cedric was working with a few of the younger students on their tempo, but it was really fine tuning at this point. All the students in the DA would easily pass their OWLs.

Ginny caught Hermione's attention. "Hermione, something's up." She's looking at the map. They had become far more cautious since Hedwig had been killed. Always travelled in pairs and when they met, there was always someone on 'map duty.'

Hermione looked down and saw Umbridge's Inquisitor squad congregating at the bottom of the sixth-floor stairs. They must have approached from different directions. This was not good.

Hermione raised her wand and it made a loud 'BANG', getting everyone's attention.

"Everyone out of the room! The Goon squad is coming up the main staircase." She focused her concentration and three doorways appeared. Today she had control of the room.

Cedric took command while she was focusing. "Remember – only walk in pairs. If asked, you are simply out for a stroll. Avoid the primary staircase if you can help it but stay away from empty rooms and narrow hallways. You are safer where everyone can see you. Whatever you do, don't run, or act guilty. Just taking a walk."

As the students quickly departed, Hermione watched the map. Umbridge and her team were apparently stuck on a staircase that decided to go to the eight floor. While they were on it. That had happened to Harry, Ron, and her in their first year when they found the room with the Cerberus. That would buy them the time they needed. In the future, they would have to start watching more closely. Umbridge was obviously looking for them and today she chose the seventh floor. Thank goodness for the crazy staircases. Otherwise, it would have been close.

— **DoD—**

Albus Dumbledore gently smiled. He took a deep, satisfying breath and glanced over at one of his portraits hanging on his wall. The man in the portrait nodded his head, confirming that the students he was watching out for had slipped past the Inquisitors. He closed his eyes and directed two staircases to bridge the gap between the seventh and the fifth floors. For the next fifteen minutes, no staircase would lead from the eight or the sixth. The Inquisitors would be forced to remain on those floors, or they'd have to take the old servants' stairs at the back of the castle.

Having the map James and his friends created helped, but Umbridge was very persistent. Originally, the Inquisitors had gathered at her office and proceeded in their search for the study group from there. She obviously suspected an early warning of some sort or she wouldn't have had her followers meet up so close to where they intended to search. Hopefully, she wouldn't know about the Room of Requirement, but you couldn't be too sure. Albus realised he was going to have to step up his own monitoring.

He hoped he could keep this up until the end of term. The curse Tom put on the Defence position should take care of the Umbridge problem by then. In the meantime, he just needed to have 'Constant Vigilance.' After what happened to Hedwig, Albus knew Dolores was dangerous. He couldn't let her harm any more of his students.

— **Dance of Death 32—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**April 3, 1996**

**11:00 PM**

**Friday**

Bill, Fleur, Andromeda, Remus, Narcissa and Tonks were gathered around the dining room table, discussing the progress of their two home-schooled students. Kreacher brought out tea and scones while the group settled in. Fleur had recently joined the group and was assisting with Draco's knowledge of Charms. When she found out about Harry's Familiar, she reached out to Bill and asked to help. Unfortunately, she couldn't help Harry with very much, so she began assisting Draco. Fortunately, he was somewhat resistant to her passive Allure. If she held it back.

Bill kicked off the discussion, "I'm struggling to find challenges for Harry. The only thing I can teach him beyond what he already knows is Curse-Breaking, and without access to his magic, it's all theoretical. I have him writing everything in Demotic and Akkadian* to keep that skill sharp, but it's not really adding to his knowledge."

Andromeda saw his frustration and stressed his contribution, "You stabilise him, William. He needs a stable presence to keep him grounded." She then added, "Especially after what happened to Hedwig." She privately wondered how a muggle raised fifteen-year-old understood Demotic or Akkadian.

Fleur took his hand and smiled at him. "She's right, Bill. Your presence is extremely helpful to Harry. Did you know he talks about you to Gabrielle? You are a positive role model and one of the only people who he trusts completely."

Bill looked surprised and asked, "He talks to Gabrielle?"

Fleur smiled and said, "Gabrielle sent him a sympathy card over the loss of his Familiar. They are pen pals now. She is quite smitten." Realising no one else really cared and she was about to be interrupted, she added, "Draco is doing well at charms. He is a particularly good student. I expect he will have no problem with is OWLs in June.

Andromeda added, "Draco has a natural affinity for healing charms. I've considered offering him an apprenticeship… but I don't want to alienate Hadrian. He used to seem irritated with me and bristle at my training, but he seems more tolerant now. I don't want to ruin that."

Narcissa agreed, "Draco and Hadrian need to find better way of interacting before you reach out to Draco. Given their antagonistic history, it's likely your ward would pull away. And he still does not enjoy etiquette training."

Andromeda had asked Narcissa to replace her, thinking it might help. "I'm sorry to hear that. He knows the basics but seems to resist the more refined aspects of Wizarding Culture."

Tonks laughed. "That's what you used to say about me. Harry doesn't mind the training; he just would rather be in training for survival. He'll be more receptive after the war." Seeing her mother's inquisitive look, she added, "He told me yesterday he can't focus on ballroom dancing when he knows he's more likely to be fighting for his life."

Narcissa raise one eyebrow, "He soaked up everything I could teach him regarding the other Death Eater families… I really don't see a point in continuing with etiquette training until he is ready to commit."

Bill chimed in, "Agreed. Remus, he seems to be learning the most from you and Tonks. Maybe you two can combine your 'survival and situational awareness training'. Tonks don't go easy on him. Harry won't mind a few stinging hexes in training if it helps him avoid a lethal curse. I'll continue working on his ability to sense enchantments and curses. It fits nicely into your training." Looking at Narcissa he added, "And don't worry about Harry and Draco, since the god-awful trip to Hogwarts, they appear to have found their groove. I say this as the oldest child in a family with seven children. They may snipe at each other, but they seem to enjoy it. Neither of them really avoids the other and that's saying a lot." He enjoyed watching the pair. It was like watching his brothers interact.

Tonks added, "Draco was really nice after Hedwig was killed." Then she added the topic no one wanted to address, "What's with the Runespoor egg? Harry always has it and he hides it whenever he thinks I'm looking his way."

Bill groaned. "I think it's a souvenir he took from Snape. Harry snuck into his office and sabotaged a potion Snape was giving to his students to help them in class. Baruffio's Brain Elixir. He replaced a Runespoor egg with a chicken egg. I guess he kept the Runespoor egg." Seeing Andromeda's reaction, he asked, "You don't think it'll hatch, do you?"

Andromeda put her head in her hand. "For that potion, the eggs must be in the final stage of incubation and are always kept in stasis. Yes, William, it's going to hatch. Unless he did something to kill it or somehow kept it in stasis… but that's not likely." Doing the math in her head, she added, "It's been nearly a month and a half. I'm surprised it hasn't hatched yet."

Remus was shocked, "Well, something has to be done. Those are some of the most lethal creatures alive. They're more dangerous than an Acromantula."

Bill held up his hand, "I'll talk to him. Hopefully, he isn't planning to raise it as a pet." Seeing most of the people staring dumbly at him, he added, "He had a pet snake last year. It used to warn him of what people were doing around him. It was an alarm against ambushes. I think the name was Freddy or something."

Fleur chimed in, "Franklin. They seemed to get along and Harry cared a great deal about him."

Tonks asked, "What happened to it?"

Remus practically growled, "Snape tuned it into potion ingredients." He had wanted to tear the greasy git apart when he heard. It still made him angry.

Andromeda paled, "You have got to be kidding me." After a deep breath she realized it made sense. "Well, I suppose to Harry it's all justified. He's trying to replace his snake friend and stealing a new snake from the man who killed his last snake would be poetic justice. Not to mention the damage done to Professor Snape's office."

Tonks laughed outright. "No kidding! Snape lost a bundle on ingredients and Dawlish really went after him, too. He made a big show of asking why a Professor would be brewing an illegal potion like that… Brain Elixir at a school. He flat out asked if Snape was helping students cheat."

Remus smirked, "We all know he was. He's been helping some of his students for years. I know of three or four that should have never been admitted to Hogwarts. Dumb as rocks."

Tonks mirthfully added, "Well, he was apparently brewing two other mixtures that had been simmering for at least a week. He wouldn't say what they were, but the Aurors seemed to think one was a Polyjuice potion and the other was intense nerve healing draught." She smiled brightly knowing who had probably ordered Snape to brew them.

Narcissa looked down at the table. "Severus used to supply a powerful healing draught to the spouses and children of the Death Eaters when they had been put under the Cruciatus curse." That brought the mood down considerably. "The Polyjuice potion was likely intended for infiltration and assassination purposes." Back to reality.

Andromeda didn't want to dwell on either of those points. "William, talk to Hadrian about the egg. Preferably when he's in a calm mood." With a worried looks she said, "He can't have that in the house."

Bill agreed, "I'm taking him by Godric's Hollow to visit his parent's graves tomorrow. He wants to see them before everyone comes home for break. I'll talk to him while we're there."

The meeting continued as they reviewed next month's lesson plans for Draco and Harry.

— **Dance of Death 32—**

**Godric's Hollow**

**April 4, 1996**

Bill and Harry were eating breakfast in a small café in Godric's Hollow. It was calm and quiet. A few people recognised Harry, but they respected his privacy. Apparently, Godric's Hollow was a mixed community and most people were very respectful. Harry liked it here. He might even want to live there one day.

Bill wondered where Harry put all the food. He ate almost as much as Ron but managed to burn it in the gym. He, on the other hand, just had fruit and a cup of coffee. Fleur had succeeded in changing his eating habits.

"So, Harry. When did you start following amateur vs professional rules in Quidditch?" Seeing Harry smile, he suspected he knew what was up, "You don't even follow Amateur rules, do you?"

Harry laughed. "Nope. But Draco seems to really like them. So, I had to take the other side. Honestly, I thought I made a few good points." He was still grinning while he bit into his toast.

Bill laughed. "Just like me and Charlie" After a minute he asked, "Are you two getting along alright? After Gringotts I thought you really hated him."

Harry calmed a bit and swallowed. "I did. Beating the stuffing out of him felt soooo good. But we're getting along alright now. Funny how things work out." He hastily added, "He's still a GIT, but he's not anything like he was at Hogwarts."

Bill smiled, "I'm proud of you, Harry. It takes courage to let go and move past your animosity."

Harry groaned, "Don't go all Dumbledore on me now. I let it go because I can tell his dad… well, my Aunt and Uncle were rough on me for years before things were good. I can see the signs. It's not easy to walk away and try to be your own person." Seeing Bill's mind at work, Harry added, "And before you say anything, it's different. The Horcrux was affecting the Dursley's in their sleep. Every night for over a decade. Without magic, they had no real defence. They really feel bad about it. Especially Draco. I mean Dudley."

Bill wanted to point out the obvious, but why have an argument? Harry had traded one ex-bully brother for another. One day they would have a long talk. But not today. Maybe he'd just let Dr. Gaines work this out.

"Harry, put it on the table."

Harry looked at Bill like he missed something, then realised what was up.

Harry stubbornly said, "No."

"Why not, Harry."

"Because I don't want you to try and take her away from me. Take them away."

"Harry, I promise I won't take it away."

"Please don't call them that. They're not an 'it', Bill. Either refer to the egg as 'her', 'she' or… 'The girls."

Bill just watched Harry, trying to decide what was up.

"I'm serious, Bill. She may be a Runespoor, but to me she's three beautiful little girls. Hecate, Artemis and Selene." After a quiet moment, Harry asked, "So, who knows?"

Bill smirked, "Everyone. Runespoors are extremely dangerous, Harry. They make Acromantula's seem passive."

Harry laughed. "Not this one." He lifted the egg from under his napkin, "I've already bonded with her. She's loving and beautiful." He then kissed the egg. _"§Sleep tight little one §."_ The egg gently pulsed.

Bill didn't know what to do. Andromeda would flip out if she knew he was talking to it. "Can you… manage it? I mean _her_?"

Harry smiled, "Of course. They've been sneaking into my dreams at night. I'm sure they've been affected by my magic. It's like with Hedwig, I can just tell what they're thinking. Being a Parselmouth might be making it easier." Harry added, "They're no different than any other set of toddlers." Except for the fangs and lethal venom…

"Alright, Harry. If you're sure." Bill still had reservations, but if Harry had bonded already… well, what's done is done. He'd still watch his young apprentice closely. Looking for changes. But, for now Harry needed his support. Still, he'd have to think about how to deal with this.

Harry took a cleansing breath. "I think I'll head over now. Do you mind if I go alone?"

Bill considered it a moment and said, "I'll stay close, but you can go in the cemetery alone." Seeing Harry tense up, he added, "Come on Harry, it's just until you heal up and can use a wand."

"Alright."

Bill paid the tab and walked Harry to the edge of the cemetery. A quick scan told him there were no people in the area. "I'll wait here. Take your time."

Harry proceeded into the cemetery with a flower Bill had conjured. Bill watched him go and wondered how Andromeda and the others would handle living with a Runespoor. He was glad Harry had recovered so well from Hedwig's death. Most wizards refused to ever consider even another Familiar after losing one. Harry still had depression from time to time, but between visits to Dr. Gaines and apparently that egg, he had made real progress.

Bill knew he had let Harry down. The same way he let everyone down… He would let Fleur down soon as well. He should have done more. It was so depressing when he… wait. Where was this coming from? And when did it get so cold? It was cool in early April, but not like this. He knew this feeling; he knew it too well.

"Harry! Dementors!" Bill then saw two Dementors move into the cemetery while two more came toward him from different directions. He had to get to Harry.

"Expecto Patronum!" He summoned a misty shield and the Dementors were deflected away from him. Casting a corporeal Patronus in a practice room was one thing, in the presence of a Dementor, it was altogether different. He heard Harry cry out. The two Dementors were circling around to make another pass. A Silver Mist wasn't going to cut it if he wanted to help Harry.

One more time, with feeling. He thought of Fleur. How wonderful she was… "Expecto Patronum!" A silvery Eagle Owl appeared and began driving off the Dementors. He directed the Patronus to hold the Dementors back while he charged into the cemetery. Was he in time? He spent precious seconds fighting off the Dementors that attacked him, hopefully he broke away in time. He began sprinting into the cemetery.

— **DoD—**

Harry had just finished placing the flowers between the tombstones of his parents. It suddenly started to get extremely cold and he sensed deep corruption in the air. Like a foul garbage dumpster behind a spicy restaurant in August. He knew exactly what this was. He suddenly heard Bill shout 'Dementors!' Harry turned to run toward Bill but was cut off by two Dementors. He began sprinting to the side. He heard Bill yell out 'Expecto Patronum'. Thank god, Bill had a fighting chance. Harry doubted he could outrun them, but he wasn't about to give up.

Out of nowhere, a flurry of decaying black robes flew in front of him, he felt the brutally painful feeding begin. The other came behind him and fed as well. Soon they were circling, pulling, and feeding on his happiest memories. Far off, Harry heard, "…No, not Harry…" he knew he was hearing his mum's last words. Then he heard another voice.

" _Take my gift Harry. Time is short."_

One of the Dementors flew by him with and took a passing 'nibble' on Harry's soul _._

"What…? Rose?" Harry was dimly aware that he was now lying on his back.

" _Yes Harry, now merge with me. Merge with the Wyld."_ Harry relented control and let Rose guide him. It felt natural and beautiful. And Terrible. He was suddenly in his dreamscape, surrounded by briars and thorny roses. Standing in front of him was Rose, completely naked and covered in thorns. Sharp teeth and green eyes. He was naked too and so very cold. She launched herself forward and embraced him, pressing her entire body up against him. Her lips against his. Her thorns piercing him wherever they touched. He suddenly realized they were no longer two separate people. He then woke up.

Suddenly, his world was pierced with thousands of white-hot thorns. Every inch of his body screamed in brutal agony. Thorns erupted all over him, ripping and piercing his skin and muscle as they fought to emerge. No, not **e** merge - they fought to _**merge**_.

— **DoD—**

Bill rushed toward the two Dementors he saw floating in the cemetery and the sound of Harry's screams. His Eagle Owl Patronus still fighting off the two Dementors that had attacked him and were now in pursuit. It was almost unbearable hearing Harry screaming in pain. He saw Harry laying on his back while the Dementors closed in. Something in his mouth was glowing… Suddenly, Harry yelled even louder than before. Thorny and vines began erupting from him in all directions.

The Dementors were pushed back by the vines and seemed to lose their focus. Bill watched in awe as the thorny vines pulsed with power and life, pressing the Dementors back and they expanded. Soon they covered a quarter of the cemetery and were easily twelve feet high. Suddenly, Bill realized he had lost focus and his Patronus had dissolved. Shite!

As the Dementors became fixed on him, he heard another voice yell out " _Expecto Patronum!_ " A powerful Patronus exploded out and the Dementors were flung backward. It was a silver phoenix and it struck the nearest Dementor like a shockwave. The Dementor it impacted crumbled to dust while the others fled. Bill turned and saw a crowd had gathered. Standing in the centre was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Leader of the light. Man, with a dozen names and titles. The Wizard who just saved him.

— **Dance of Death 32—**

**Note: This chapter marks the third Tragedy Harry will Suffer before returning to Hogwarts. A tragedy is not necessarily a death. It is an event causing great suffering. now that thats out of the way, you will begin seeing traits from Casting Shadows Harry. Expect violence. Rating was adjusted to M for a reason.**

**Countdown: In two chapters, he will have his next confrontation with Umbridge. It will be decisive. I have loathed Umbridge for years and I look forward to writing the chapter after the next.**

***Demotic and Akkadian are both ancient languages he learned from his brilliant mother's incarnation. Demotic was an ancient Egyptian script from 400-30BC and Akkadian was in Mesopotamia from 2500 – 600BC.**


	33. Chapter 33

— **Dance of Death 33—**

**In the last chapter, Harry buried Hedwig and had vowed to increase the intensity of his training. He knew he needed to survive and win the coming war if he had any hope of settling scores with Umbridge and the Deatheaters that taunted him in the cemetery. Hedwig's death gave him a focus to not just survive, but to win and bring justice to the people that deserved it.**

**On a trip to visit his parent's graves, Harry and Bill discussed the fact that he had already bonded with a Runespoor and is waiting for it to hatch. Bill reluctantly agreed to support him but noted that Runespoors can be quite deadly. As Harry went to put flowers on his parent's graves, he and Bill were attacked by Dementors. Desperate to survive, he bonded with a spirit of the Wyld that represented the Unseelie and balanced Oak Heart. In the process, he was pierced by thorns from the inside out, but managed to force the Dementors back with an enormous patch of thorny vines.**

**Before the Dementors could switch their focus to Bill, Albus Dumbledore appeared on the scene and drove the Dementors off, destroying one in the process. Harry had now bonded with an elder elemental plant spirit and his magic began repairing itself far faster than before. Unfortunately, the Ritual of Thorns may heal his magic, but it was a painful and unpleasant process.**

**This is where we pick up.**

— **DoD—**

**Note: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.**

**FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories. The Ritual of Thorns and Oakheart are two examples.**

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

— **Dance of Death 33—**

**Chapter 33: Magic's Return**

**St. Mungo's**

**April 6th, 1996**

Andromeda used her wand to help Harry stand up. She winced at the sight of him covered in thorns, noting his obvious levels of pain. Scans verified that he had somehow merged with some form of plant spirit and they could not be separated. It had saved his life, but he was in a constant state of agony. The first day, he mostly just tensed and twisted in pain. He was now learning to focus past it, but it was still there. Any potion that was able to lessen the effects would result in addiction… Harry was having to learn how to manage the pain.

She realised that normal clothes would be a problem. The thorns would pierce the clothes and he'd get tangled up. His clothes would have to be something enchanted specifically for him. Fortunately, he had fewer thorns on the bottoms of his feet and the palms of his hands. They could be managed or removed. But even the removal was painful. It was like pulling on a hangnail.

Andromeda soothingly said, "Just take it slowly." If he moved too fast, his thorns would cut him up from the friction. "There, let's put this robe around you…" She draped it loosely. She reinforced the cloak with the impervious charms, so it sat on the thorns rather than being pierced by them.

With a quavering voice, Harry whispered, "I need to go home, Andromeda. I hate it here."

"That's where we're going Harry. We just need to get you used to walking."

Harry made a loose fist and focused his concentration. A vine slowly began forming in his hand and stiffened to become a staff. Andromeda noted that it was covered with thorns that were identical to the ones covering Harry. To her amazement, one small branch extended off to the side of the staff and slowly formed into a Rose.

Harry broke off the Rose and whispered, "Thank you for being here for me." He then handed it to her.

Andromeda carefully held the Rose and smelt. It was very strongly scented but had a trace of fir and oak. Beneath the obvious scent was a very faint coppery smell she knew well. Any healer would know that scent. It was the smell of blood.

"Thank you, Harry."

— **DoD—**

Harry walked into Grimmauld Place and noted there were many people in the house. Spring break was here and the Weasleys with it. Everything he looked at was through a haze of pain. Today was better than yesterday… but a year? How on earth was he going to last a year like this? Harry shook off those thoughts. Focus! There are some very bitter debts that need to be repaid…

Ginny quickly came over to him but had to pull back from the hug she had planned to give him. How do you hug a pin cushion? Harry saw tears in her eyes. He noticed Hermione and Mrs. Weasley were also teared up. Fleur was keeping it together. She was one tough witch.

Searching for something to say, he proclaimed, "I've missed you, Ginny…"

He was soon surrounded. He'd always avoided random hugs, bitterly he realised that wouldn't be a problem now. A few people were talking, he smiled and nodded. He had no idea what they were saying. Harry noticed Dumbledore and wondered why the man was here. My god, how many Weasleys are there? A few other faces he didn't know…

"I really appreciate the welcome. Thank you. I hope you don't mind, but I just want to go to bed." He smiled, but it was probably more like a grimace. "Bill, can you help me get settled?"

Bill nodded, "Sure thing, Harry."

Seeing Ginny and Hermione crying, Harry said in a raspy voice, "It's alright. It won't last. Please, Ginny. Hermione. Mrs. Weasley… don't cry for me." His voice broke three times while he was rasping that sentence out. Remembering his vow to Hedwig, he added, "Save your tears for whoever sent those monsters after us. _I plan to make them suffer._ " That was followed by an uncomfortable silence.

Between the relentless pain and the fact that he had screamed until he lost his voice, the words came out sounding somewhat sinister. But the intent was clear. He would show no mercy to whoever sent those Dementors after him. Albus Dumbledore looked on sadly as Harry and Bill walked upstairs. Ginny waited a minute then followed, pulling on Dragon Hide gloves as she ascended the stairs.

Ahead of Ginny, Harry turned to Bill and asked, "Do you have my egg? I saw you pick her up after the attack." His eyes were pleading. Scared even.

Bill pulled the egg from his pocket. "Here you go Harry. Safe and sound." Bill noted a look of profound relief. "Between you and me, I was terrified she would hatch and bite my bits."

Harry laughed. "I was so scared Dumbledore would get a hold of her…" The relief was clear and overshadowed his pain. Bill noted he seemed more focused, but that's one of the things Runespoor eggs were supposedly known for. Maybe the bonding is a good thing.

"Harry, I said I would support you and I meant it." After letting that sink in, he added, "You should know that Dumbledore showed up and drove the Dementors away. He helped free you and… well, he's not your enemy. A condescending know-it-all, maybe… But not an enemy."

Harry gave a short nod, one of the thorns on his neck piercing the skin under his chin. "I know he's not my enemy, but he's not really looking out for my best interests. He's just so…" Ginny emerged from the staircase at that point, ending the discussion.

Ginny was wearing dragon hide gloves and took his hand. "Harry, let me help you to bed." As she led him away, she whispered, " _They put you with Draco!_ " It was practically a hiss.

Andromeda already told him. Draco would be monitoring his condition. It was either that or a hired nurse. Harry went with Draco; he didn't mind being with Draco. They argued and annoyed each other, but it never seemed personal anymore. It was almost fun.

"Draco's rather good with healing charms. Besides, with the contracts he signed, it's not like he's able to betray me." Harry flinched when his thorns ripped across his legs. "He's not so bad. Not anymore."

Ginny thought a moment, then said, "That's what Hermione said. But Ron still hates him."

Harry lay down on his bed. It was charmed to morph around his thorns, otherwise he'd be pinned to the mattress. He suddenly realised he was barefoot. No, he was wearing thong sandals.

"Ginny, I really don't want to move. Can you take off my sandals?" Embarrassed by his own request, he added, "Sorry. I don't think my feet smell."

Ginny smiled sadly. "It's alright, Harry." Sniffing slightly, she added, "You actually smell really good. Kind of like roses." But there was something else barely there. Something… metallic?

Harry was already asleep. She watched him breath fitfully, staying until he was truly asleep. He was clearly in pain and no one could help him. She then noticed he was holding a leathery orb. She reached down to take it and set it on the table, but he pulled it in close as soon as he felt her pulling on it. She decided to just let him hold it. It seemed to bring him comfort.

— **Dance of Death 33—**

**Bones Manor**

**April 10, 1996**

Amelia was sitting in her study nursing a snifter of Brandy. The last week had left her both exhausted and frustrated. Her irritation was directed squarely at both the ministry and her own department. Someone had authorised four Dementors to be port keyed to Godric's Hollow the moment flowers were placed on the grave of James and Lily Potter by a blood relation. Whoever had devised the trap was quite skilled and had accomplices. The charm alone was extremely advanced and specific. This was an assassination attempt on Harry Potter, and was masterfully planned.

Even within the DMLE, there were no traces of whoever had made the Dementor requisition. That infuriated her and resulted in the termination of half a dozen lower level bureaucrats that were responsible for ensuring the Dementor requisitions were well maintained. At least one of them was corrupt, but she couldn't tell which… so they all had to go. Where Dementors were concerned, you couldn't be too careful.

Harry Potter, a young man she was magically bound to protect, was nearly killed and had been left in a terrible state. She had never seen a curse like that before and she hoped she never would again. The healers at St. Mungo's were unable to help, but at least the Mr. Potter was coping. He had implicated Dolores Umbridge, but Minister Fudge refused to allow an interview. Amelia wondered if the minister realised how many enemies he was creating. House Potter, House Longbottom, House Black, and now House Bones. Cornelius used to be so politically savvy… Now, his days were numbered.

But if You-Know-Who really was back, would he be out in time? The DMLE certainly wasn't ready for his return… She had plans to put in place. Allies to collect and assemble – Fudge had to be removed. Hopefully, she would have the support she would need in the next Wizengamot session to call for his removal. A vote of 'No Confidence' was not something that had occurred in her lifetime and the Minister would be ruined, both professionally and personally. It would be a humiliating end to a career that had lasted over four decades. But it was no less than he deserved. What had he expected when he surrounded himself with people like Lucius Malfoy and Dolores Umbridge?

The Prewetts would never vote Cornelius Fudge out, but Augusta Longbottom would support her. The Macmillan's would too. If she could convince the Greengrass's and the Abbots to go along, she would have the votes she needed. Tomorrow, she would be beginning building her voting block to remove the worthless man. She had more than enough dirt on him, she just didn't know what leverage he had with other Wizengamot members. Perhaps it was time to call Albus Dumbledore. He could bring in a few votes…

Amelia refocused her thoughts back to Harry Potter. Her niece had shared a copy of the notes the teen had sent to her study group and to say it surprised her would be an understatement. Some of it looked like he had managed to get access to an advanced Auror training guide. It also had strategies and tactics that appeared to have come from the Grindelwald war. But while anyone could copy chapters from a book, it was the personal texts and hand drawn illustrations the boy added that impressed her the most. The diagrams and strategies were like something a war veteran would use. Like something from Charlus Potter.

When asked how he had become so knowledgeable about ambushes and skirmishes, Susan shamefully reminded her that Harry had been targeted daily at Hogwarts last year. No sense going through all that again, it would just ruin the break she had with Susan. Additionally, Mr. Potter's accidental magic that occurred when his familiar was killed shocked the entire school. He overrode the wards on the Great Hall and froze it over. Susan asked if he was unable to practice magic and Amelia had to admit she wondered herself. Somehow, he beat Draco Malfoy in a magic duel. She'd seen the medical reports, but… It just didn't add up.

Sipping her Brandy, Amelia Bones was one hundred percent certain that, with or without magic, Harry Potter's story was nowhere near over.

— **Dance of Death 33—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**April 13, 1996**

**Saturday**

Harry had been quiet for most of the break, but he had met occasionally with Ginny and Hermione. Draco had been on decent behaviour and apologised to Hermione for calling her a 'Mudblood'. Her still didn't really get along with Harry's friends, but he was civil. Harry knew Draco was counting the days until he had his room back and they both were looking forward to having privacy again after the break. But Harry enjoyed being near Ginny and while physical contact was limited due to his 'thorny problem', it was nice being around his girlfriend.

Harry slept between twelve and fourteen hours each night and while he couldn't tell a difference day to day, over the course of two weeks he became fully functional and was now getting about unassisted. His focus had improved dramatically, and he no longer appeared to be crippled with pain. Like Rose had once said, he had learned to focus past the pain. He had learned to cope. Remus had enchanted clothing that would open around the thorns and flex with Harry's movements. His undergarments were actually Dragon hide to prevent the thorns from 'tearing him up down there' when he walked. That made a huge difference in his mobility. He had hardened leather reinforcement under his arms and down his sides to prevent the thorns on his arms from tearing up his ribs. Also, on the inner thigh for the same reasons. Harry had found his new 'normal'.

He did interact with the other Weasleys during the break, knowing that his relationship with Ginny and Hermione depended peaceful coexistence. They also were making real efforts to be helpful and to share information. Information was one of the things Harry missed the most. One morning, Harry was in the kitchen with Hermione, Ron, the twins, and Ginny. The things they were telling him about the current state of Hogwarts was quite disturbing. Under the new 'High Inquisitor' Umbridge, Hogwarts had really gotten bad. It was both infuriating and ironic that Umbridge used her own crime to further her ambitions.

Harry noted dismally that Ron was holding Hermione's hand. He suppressed a smirk thinking, 'Yeah, that'll work out…'

Ron caught Harry's eye and sheepishly said, "Harry, mate, I really hope you'll come back. I know we screwed up, but…" Ron obviously wasn't sure what to say next. Harry always got so angry when people apologised. He wondered why Harry couldn't see how sorry they all were. Hermione had warned him not to push it.

Before Harry could respond, Hermione interjected, "Your books and notes have been amazing, Harry. Honestly, they've been more help than the map. And that's saying something." She smiled and continued, "Situational awareness should be trained as much as Defence against the Dark Arts. It's that good."

Easier all around to just let Hermione change the subject. In truth, Harry really didn't have the energy to lose his temper with Ron. "Thanks, Hermione. Just don't let anyone go anywhere alone. Those inquisitors seem to be pretty bad."

The twins jovially agreed, proclaiming at the same time, "We always go in pairs." They laughed at their own joke, but no one else did.

Ginny added, "But seriously, not all of the inquisitors are bad. A few seem to be trying to help people. It's common knowledge that any group with Greengrass or Zabini won't rough anyone up too bad. Bulstrode and Parkinson aren't so bad either… but they'll insult the hell out of you. Well, Parkinson will."

Harry considered that. "So not all snakes are venomous. Well, that's a good thing." He realised this meant fewer people to put on his 'payback' list.

Ginny asked, "Harry, why are you always holding that leather ball?"

Harry laughed, "This 'leather ball' is actually an egg. My next Familiar." Sadly, he said, "I can't replace Hedwig and I never will… but I can still love my new Familiar." He was holding the egg up and looking at it. The leather shell was resistant to his thorns if he was careful.

Hermione was staring at the egg. "Harry, that's a Runespoor egg." Ginny flinched.

Harry smiled. "Some venomous snakes are actually alright." He then whispered, _"§Sleep well sweeties§."_ Everyone could see it pulse a bit.

Ron pales, "Harry, this isn't gonna be another Aragog is it?" You could hear a pin drop.

Harry shifted on his cushioning charm, the thorns from his 'behind' resettling. "No, Ron. She'll be nothing like Aragog. Nowhere near as many legs and a hell of a lot faster." He then added, "As a personal favour, don't say anything about this." The twins weren't laughing anymore.

Hermione flushed and exclaimed, "That's not fair, Harry! You can't drop a bomb like this and ask us not to say anything. Runespoors are dangerous and… You _can't_ have one."

Harry gritted his teeth. Being in a constant state of pain resulted in rather terse communication. "Oh, really? Who's gonna take her?" His eyes were glowing bright green. Hermione was dead silent.

Realising he might have gone too far Harry said, "Sorry 'Mione. The pain keeps me on edge. Fact is, she's not going to attack anyone at random, but she will protect me and my friends. And I'll make sure she's safe. Bill and Andromeda know but I'd rather Dumbledore didn't."

Hermione asked, "What about Professor McGonagall?"

Harry guffawed rudely and sneered the way only someone in pain can. He then straightened up and focused. This was an illusionist trick he'd earned from his dad and his magic was healed enough for simple charms. About two months ahead of schedule. No wand needed for this. The illusion was translucent and obviously a glamour, but very visible and audible. It was of the room behind the great hall. A younger Harry was standing there with the other Champions and their Headmasters. Dumbledore and various other teachers were in the room. Harry looked small, vulnerable, and afraid. It was heart breaking. Seeing a Harry that hadn't been working out fanatically for a year really drew attention to how tiny he used to be.

—

_Harry slowly approached Professor McGonagall. "Professor, can we…"_

_"Can we WHAT, Mr. Potter?" She aggressively cut him off with, "'Can we cause more trouble?', 'Can we cheat our way into some other tournament?' Or possibly, 'Can we embarrass the school more than we already have?' Well, which is it?" The others in the room had stopped and were listening to them._

_"Can we talk, I need your help…" Harry sounded pitiful. Like he was timidly begging._

_"You are just like your father and his friends! Always causing problems and needing my help. Well, maybe you should have thought this through_ **_before_ ** _you entered yourself." Harry just stared with his mouth hanging open._

_Snape approached with a smile and said, "I quite agree Minerva, Mr. Potter is a Menace. To the school and to himself. Just like his_ **_worthless_ ** _Father." A few people in the room gasped._

_Harry balled up his fists and launched himself at Snape. He was going to wipe that smile off his face! Mad-eye Moody – aka Barty Crouch Jr., grasped him around the torso before he could get far and held him back. Snape just smiled at him._

_Moody half pulled and half carried Harry out of the room saying, "Mr. Potter needs some air. I'll take him to his room." Looking straight at McGonagall, he said, "Relax, Kitty Kat. I got this. Apparently, Harry's too much like his father to expect aid from_ **_you_ ** _!"_

—

As the Glamour faded, Harry said, "Even though Mad-eye was actually Barty Crouch junior, he was twice as supportive as 'Kitty Litter' McGonagall." Looking at Hermione, he added, "Did you know my father was her god-son?"

Hermione's mouth was hanging open. Everyone was embarrassed. Ginny squeezed his hand almost hard enough for a thorn to pierce her glove. Ron and the twins looked downright ashamed. But that was normal whenever the tournament came up. Good. Harry did notice that George seemed less ashamed than Fred. Well, one mystery solved. Assuming he had the right twin. Hermione looked around and knew they all were on the same page.

Hermione took a breath. "Alright, Harry. We'll keep your secret. But please be careful."

Harry smiled, "Hermione, careful gets you nowhere. I'll be cunning."

Ron the straightened up, "Oi! You did that without a wand! Harry, can you do magic again?"

Harry held up both hands and an arc of electricity pulsed between them. It lit up the room with flickering electric blue hues. He made the arc last a good three seconds. His eyes were faintly glowing emerald green and his thorns were casting shadows all over his face. Harry looked at his old roommate and smirked.

Ronald Weasley simply said, "Wow…"

Ginny smiled at him, she was happy and supportive. Harry could tell she wanted to hug and kiss him… but without a full set of Dragon hide armour and a face shield… nope.

Harry was pretty worn out after that display. He didn't want anyone to know this was pretty much the limit of his currently available power. He was able to use a few tricks, but nowhere near what he'd have in two months. The illusion was from ancient magic his dad had been training him in and the electricity was the elemental magic his mum had passed on. This was just the simple stuff, but it would be far easier if he'd had a wand. Soon, he'd be throwing his spears and lightning strikes around again. Plus, all that new illusionist magic his dad had been teaching him.

Soon.

— **Dance of Death 33—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster Office**

**April 14, 1996**

**Sunday**

Albus Dumbledore looked over at his Deputy Headmistress and smiled. They were having a friendly planning session over tea. It was something they did regularly. Minerva McGonagall had been loyal to him for so many years. He knew enough of her past to know she had experienced more than her share of pain and loss. He had hopes of passing the reins to her soon and stepping away from the complexities of running a school and interacting with the Wizengamot and the ICW. Perhaps he'd spend his time fishing.

Minerva looked at Albus and caught him daydreaming. "Albus, is everything alright?" She was used to him being preoccupied in these meetings. And this was really a meeting of friends, the course planning aspect was just a pretence for meeting and talking as friends.

Albus sighed deeply. "I'm immensely proud of you Minerva. I couldn't ask for a better friend and ally." Turning more sombre, he said, "I confess to being worried about so very many things. Dolores Umbridge, our esteemed Grand Inquisitor, for one. I should have worked harder to keep her out of the school. But even more importantly, the coming war promises to be at least as bad as the last one… And we're not ready."

Minerva smiled gently. "We'll persevere, Albus. Amelia is taking steps to bolster the ministry. Cornelius won't be in his position much longer." Then addressing the more local problem, "Dolores has me worried too, but her time here is numbered. It's the influence she's having on the students I worry about. Especially the students in Slytherin house. The other houses have learned to keep their heads down. Thankfully, she and her gang of thugs have caused no serious problems."

Albus smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, I can think of one, Minerva."

Minerva realised her mistake and winced. "Hedwig. That was horrible, but Mr. Potter is no longer a student here. Considering his parting words, that might be for the best." After a moment of silence, she said, "I know my track record with Mr. Potter isn't something to brag about, but he's so angry Albus. I fear for the other students if he ever returns."

"Ah, but he must return. I've shared with you the prophesy around young Harry, Minerva. He is the one who will have to defeat Tom Riddle. The only one who can bring the war to an end. We need him to re-join Hogwarts. If he leaves Great Britain, I fear what will happen."

Minerva gave him a pained look, "Albus… there's more than you're saying. Why are you so fixated with Mr. Potter?" There, she finally worked up the courage to ask. She wanted to say obsessed but decided fixated was better.

Albus sat back in his chair. "When I fought Gellert, I was in my prime. When Tom rose twenty some years ago, I was still in peak form… but I fear I've crossed the peak and am now in decline. Oh, I'm still sharp Minerva, but not quite razor sharp. I can still hold my own against Tom… but for how long?"

Minerva considered her words. "Albus, I have faith in you. Britain has faith in you. But what does that have to do with Harry Potter? Apart from the prophesy, you still haven't said why you're so obsessed with the boy." She realised the word 'obsessed' slipped out.

Albus smiled and looked over his glasses, "Minerva, he's my replacement."

"Albus, he's a fifteen-year-old boy. And not a very stable one at that. He also doesn't seem to think much of either one of us."

Albus nodded his head, "True on all points. But I have always enjoyed a challenge."

Minerva chuckled. "Then you should prepare to be the happiest man alive."

— **Dance of Death 33—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**April 30, 1996**

**Tuesday**

**11:30PM**

The spring break from Hogwarts ended and Grimmauld Place was much quieter now. Draco returned to his old room and Harry revelled in his restored privacy. In truth, he kind of missed trading jabs and jokes with Draco each night, but he'd rather have his own room. Dr. Gaines had been right. Focus on the future. Holding onto his anger was just hurting him. It helped that he beat the stuffing out of him.

So, Draco was no longer an enemy. What about the rest of Hogwarts? That was when Harry realised they just didn't matter. No, he didn't have to be nice or friendly. He just had to realise they no longer had any effect on him. No, he didn't have to accept them back into his life but wasting energy on them wasn't worth his time. It would be best if they stay out of his way, though. Otherwise… he'd make them regret it. He knew who his friends were.

Ginny had been amazing during the visit. With her dragon hide gloves, she always made it a point to hold Harry's hand and provide support . Hermione was great too, but he spent most of his free time with Ginny. Harry knew he was lucky to have them both in his life. Then there was Luna and Neville. Yes, Colin too. Harry never forgot how many fights the boy got into after his Eiectio. Speaking of which, Katie Bell kicked Cho's ass after the shit she pulled at the Ball. Yeah, he had friends. Knowing this made the idea of returning to Hogwarts somewhat less horrible. Additionally, he had debts to pay, and most of the people he owed were at Hogwarts.

Umbridge was right at the top of the list. Snape also had more payback coming. He might even get his licks in on McGonagall too if the opportunity presented itself. Filch needed to suffer a bit, so he'd make a royal mess of things. Fun. But Umbridge would get the worst, and he knew just how to do it.

Speaking of the Bitch, according to letters from his friends, Fred and George played a massive prank on the first day back that involved a portable swamp, a case of fireworks, and a huge flaming image of Hedwig chasing Umbridge and exploding all around her. It ended with them flying off and the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes logo lighting up the sky. For the very first time, he decided he was glad to be in business with the Weasley Twins. Colin even sent him a photograph… It was Brilliant.

Maybe tomorrow he'd send a note to the twins. It might be time for a second serving of fireworks. Yeah… as a parting gift once his OWLs were over. Once the ministry test coordinators left, no one could prevent his OWLs from being documented. That last night, he'd make it one to remember. Maybe his dad could help him pull it off and not get caught. His dad _**was**_ a Marauder after all.

As Harry slowly calmed himself, he practiced his Occlumency and reviewed his time with Hermione and the Weasleys. Occlumency helped him take a neutral and unbiased view as he filed away and reviewed the memories and experiences of the past two weeks. He did this every night and it made a huge difference in his perspective. He realised Draco had made a huge effort to not insult or argue with anyone, even though he had been baited more than once. He also realised that he enjoyed being with Draco more than Ron. Partly because of the way Ron had acted last year during the tournament, but also because Draco brought out a different side of him. He enjoyed their intellectual jabs and Quidditch discussions. After listening to Ron for years, he really hated the Cannons.

Blocking out the steady pain from the thorns, he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. His focus was to reach his parent's home in his dreamscape. Over the last week, he had managed it twice with minimal effort. As his consciousness receded and his occlumency helped him block the pain, he was on the familiar path toward his house. As a child, he used to wake up inside the house, now he had a path to walk. Was it something to do with growing up? Weird. Harry noted the path grew shorter each month. Maybe it was a healing thing.

He had his three little girls with him, but now they were pure snakes, not something in between human and serpent. They were perfect. Selene around his neck and Artemis and Hecate around his arms. His Thorns didn't seem to bother them. But, in his Dreamscape, his thorny problem didn't bother him much either.

Rose was present beside him. She was smiling and beautiful, but he felt her presence everywhere. Now that they had merged even closer, from the ritual of thorns, he could feel her influence even when he was awake. She was very much a Wyld thing. Chaos and change with little regard for consequence. It appealed to his Gryffindor side.

Rose laughed, "Come to see me off, Harry? Tonight, at midnight the Seelie court takes prominence and I step back until Samhain." She held his hand, thorn on thorn. "I'm not really going anywhere, we're together for another 11 months. Give or take."

She walked with him until was at his parents Dreamscape home and then she stepped off the path and faded into the forest. Looking up and whispering to the snakes coiled around him, he saw both of his parent's incarnations outside and waiting for him. James was holding hands with Lily and they were looking about. As Harry approached, they both smiled and encouraged him to take in the scenery.

James said, "Turn around, Harry. Can you believe it?"

Harry turned and saw a beautiful and lush forest. The full moon illuminated the sky and the treetops. Off in the distance was a huge tree, glowing with life and abundance. There was no mistaking what or who the tree was. He knew that was Oakheart.

Lily clasped his hand, heedless of the thorns. "Oakheart is pure again, Harry. You're sacrifices have cleansed him. Soon he'll have rebuilt your core."

Harry looked at his mindscape in awe. It was magnificent. The moon and the stars were magical. Light from a rising sun was beginning to illuminate the horizon. It had been night for months in his dreamscape. That was about to change. Amazing what giving access to ancient Elder Elementals could accomplish.

Lily smiled, "The sun will rise on the Beltane, Harry. In just a few minutes. That's when the Seelie court comes into prominence. Oakheart will rise and Rose will recede." She then smiled and turned to her husband, then back to Harry. "In a few minutes it will be midnight. And the sun will rise."

James added, "You'll be _almost_ fully healed by the time you go back for your OWLs. By your sixth year, you'll be more powerful than you've ever been. No damaged core and no Horcrux holding you back."

Lily squeezed his right hand, "We need to make sure you're ready. Nightly practice will begin tomorrow. All our knowledge has been passed on, now we need to reinforce it and help you integrate with it."

James grinned, "It won't be easy, but you're up to it. By the time summer is over, your new knowledge and skills will be second nature. We'll make…" James suddenly stopped talking and looked at what Harry was cradling in his left hand.

Harry realised his girls were no longer coiled around him. He was holding their egg and it was pulsing and glowing.

Lily gasped, "Harry, she's hatching! Wake up!"

As Harry opened his eyes, he saw cracks form on the egg. Then a head popped out. Then two more joined the first. _"§Welcome home, beautiful! Happy Birthday§!"_

The Runespoor worked its way out of the egg and coiled around his wrist, careful to avoid Harry's thorns. Harry 'kissed' each head with the tip of his nose. That was the best he could do until the thorns were gone. As he kissed each, he whispered their name, _"§Hecate, Selene, Artemis… My beautiful girls§."_

The last two years had been rough for Harry, but this night was spectacular. As the girls looked up, Harry noted they had emerald green eyes… just like him. The pain of his thorns was overshadowed by the euphoria he felt watching his beautiful Familiar come into the world. His girls… Born on the Beltane.

— **Dance of Death 33—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**Harry's Dreamscape**

**One month later**

**June 1, 1996**

Harry had just finished duelling each of his parents and was revelling in the feeling of using magic once more. He had fallen back on the use of his elemental spears and experimented with the use of illusions to throw people off. His mother's incarnation was still superior in her use of elemental magic, but he was improving. His father was far superior in Transfiguration and Harry had a lot to learn before he would be comfortable using those skills in combat.

Still, he was able to combine these new applications with his standard combat spells in an extremely dangerous way. He still preferred the direct path and overwhelming his opponents with is raw power. The piercing hex was rapidly becoming one of his favourites as it was always like having a handgun . Extremely fast to cast and hard to dodge. It was silent and didn't produce bright lights or flashes, just a ripple in the air. He could see this as becoming one of his favourites along with the Elemental spears and the Disarming charm.

Harry's parents then led him inside the house to review his performance.

James started with, "Here in your dreamscape, we're all pretty much just imagining the castings, but out in the real world, you'll have far more raw power than most combatants. Deatheaters are tough though… so don't get cocky. You also have a bit of a temper, Harry. That'll get you killed if you're not careful."

Lily agreed, "I've had one Deatheater keep me so angry, I almost was blindsided when a second snuck up behind me. If Alice hadn't been watching my back, I'd have fallen. You have my temper, Harry. It can boost the power of your spells, but it comes at a price. And you really don't need a power boost." James laughed at that.

Harry nodded, "Where am I strongest and weakest?"

James considered only a moment, "You're fast and accurate. Loads of power… But you're very direct. You have the transfiguration skills, but you'd rather throw an elemental spear or a fireball. I'm not saying it won't work, but it is predictable." Pausing to emphasize the gravity, he added, "Predictable gets people killed."

Lily added, "You need a few more spell matrixes. Seven is a good number, but I'd feel better if you had twelve before next term. Until you get a wand, the spell matrixes will have to cover you. Seven isn't very much versatility unless you know where you're going."

James agreed, "You need more flexibility and re-tuning your matrixes is damn near impossible when you're under the gun. If you don't get your wand back, we need to find an alternate wand. Most wands would struggle with your power levels, but they'd still be better than a matrix. Staves aren't practical or fast enough…"

Harry groaned, "It took forever to get a wand that fit me last time."

Lily considered, "Phoenix feather is rare and finicky. Unicorns probably would top out too early with your current power levels. Dragon heartstring could handle it, but they tend to amplify and might damage the wood. It would definitely burn itself out in a few years." She then snapped her fingers, "You still have the Basilisk horns and heartstring. That should be able to handle your power without burning out."

Harry had forgotten about that. It seemed like an eternity ago. "Right… so do I just take it to Ollivander's and have him make a wand?"

James jumped, "Hell no! He'll inform Dumbledore. Gregorovich is good and he tends to be a bit of a rebel. Otherwise, you can go to the States." Thinking a moment, he said, "Shikoba Wolfe made great wands using thunderbird feathers. So did Thiago Quintana, but I can't remember his core specialty. Water monster. I think there's a lady in New Orleans too, her wands have a _reputation_... Most American wand-makers only use one core they specialise in. I don't think they have any Phoenix feather wand makers. Thunderbirds are sometimes called the Phoenix of the Americas."

Lily sighed. "James, those wand-makers may be dead or retired by now. They were kind of old when we bought our wands and it's been over twenty years. Gregorovich should still be around. If he's retired, you could likely tempt him to make one more wand given the core you're offering. There's another wand-maker in France too, but I don't know the name."

James shook his head, "Gregorovich it is." He then eagerly changed the subject. "So, Harry… How many OWLs are you taking?"

Harry smiled. "Most of them. Last month I knew I could do it, so I asked Andromeda to sign me up. The thorns make life rough, but they had a real impact on my recovery. I haven't studied for the extra OWLs, but with the knowledge you guys passed on, getting an Exceeds Expectations in most classes should be a snap. I can't wait to see Dumbledore's face when I ask for my wand."

Harry noted his parents looked a little uncomfortable. Jams said, "Harry... You're powerful, but don't go making an enemy of Albus Dumbledore. He's still the biggest fish in the British pond. Do you catch my drift?"

Harry grimaced. "Yeah, I get it. Don't poke the 'Dumblebear'." He snickered at his own joke. James did too, but Lily just smiled and rolled her eyes.

Harry continued discussing magical and duelling theories with his parent's incarnations until he eventually woke up. He then went upstairs to the attic where he performed resistance training with dumbbells. The thorns made it hard to do some of his favourite exercises, but weight training was fair game. He just didn't want to lose the strength and endurance he had worked so hard to build.

— **Dance of Death 33—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**Harry's Room**

**June 8, 1996**

Harry was watching Kreacher pack up his expandable chest. The enchanted clothes he had to wear weren't nice looking, but they were functional. Kind of looked like open weave linen. Or Burlap. It was depressing for Harry to realise he had never gone to Hogwarts looking like anything other than a bum.

His Runespoor was about fifteen inches and always hungry. She was skinny and could fit in his reinforced breast pocket when she coiled up. Harry made sure she had a good diet of mice and small mammals. She was not going with him and was very unhappy about it. Harry wasn't ready to share her existence yet. She'd be over two feet by September and would be more visible. She had a natural ability to slither around Harry's thorns. That would end as she grew, but for now it worked well.

Harry looked over at her on her heating stone and asked, _"§ Are you still mad at me? §"_

The middle head turned away, saying, _"§Do you hear anything? I don't hear anything. §"_

Harry looked sadly at his Familiar. _"§Please don't be like that. I want you with me, but I'll be testing all week. I'm trying to protect you. §"_

Artemis, the head on the left, made a hissing sound, followed by, _"§Right. You want to protect us, but what about you? Who'll watch your back? §"_

Hecate, the right head, said _"§Harry, look what they did to your bird. They might do it to you too. §"_

_Harry looked at his girls solemnly, "§ I know who did that and she's going to regret it. Don't worry about me. §"_

At that admission, his familiar began complaining non-stop. All heads at once.

" _§Nooo! We want to see you kill someone. §"…"§Do you swallow the people you kill? §"…"§Where do you keep your fangs? §"…"§It's not fair! §"…"§ We want to help too! §"… "§We can bite them! §"…"§If you love us, you'll take us. §"… "§Who's gonna keep us warm? §" "§What do eyeballs taste like? §" "§That's a stupid question. §"… "§You're a stupid question. §"… "§That doesn't even make sense. §"… "§You don't make sense. §"… "§Stop looking at me! §"… "§You're breathing on me. §"… "§You started it. §" §…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…§…_

Harry couldn't take any more of the rapid-fire arguments, _"§_ _ **Oh good lord!**_ _Next time I go to Hogwarts, I'll take you. Just_ _ **please**_ _stop fighting. No BITING!_ _ **Selene**_ _, what on earth…?§"_

— **DoD —**

Thirty minutes later, Harry came downstairs with a headache to match his thorn induced body aches. He saw the twins delivering three boxes of their products. Two large and one small. Nice.

"Fred, George. Looks like you out did yourselves." Pocking up a smaller box, he opened it and saw three small marbles. "What're these?"

The twins beamed with pride, and they proclaimed together, "Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder".

Harry liked the sound of that, "How does it work?" He silently prayed they'd talk like normal people. After the last hour listening to his Familiar, he didn't think he could handle twin talk.

Trading turns, the twins said, "Simple, Harrikins"… "First, you squeeze the ball, breaking the container" … "Then you throw it" … "When you throw it" … "It creates an area of complete darkness" … "you can't see anything" … "Good for making a quick escape."

Harry closed his eyes. Twin talk…

Harry pocketed the box of the small marble sized balls. He might use it on Filch. "Thanks. Can you shrink up the other boxes for me? I don't have a wand."

The first Twin said, "Sure thing, partner."

The second twin said, "Make it count, we expect great things."

The first twin finally said, "We also put an instant swamp in that box. Durable enchantment."

Harry was looking forward to setting these off in the Great Hall. "Thanks guys. It'll be memorable." He then put the shrunken boxes in his pockets.

The twins soon left, and Harry meandered into the Library.

Draco was in there studying.

"Hey Draco, wanna take a break?"

With a huff, Draco said, "Yes. Badly. Are you ready for Hogwarts tomorrow?" He knew Harry was probably nervous. Especially after what happened last time.

Surprisingly, Harry laughed. "You're asking the wrong question, Draco." With a smirk, he finished with, "You should be asking if Hogwarts is ready for us?" Harry's eyes are glowing.

Seeing Draco suddenly looking nervous, he added, "Don't worry. Mr. Felder will be in Hogsmeade. Just in case something… unfortunate happens." Like a bunch of fireworks and an assault on a member of the ministry.

Draco wondered if Hogwarts will ever be ready for Harry. Is this what it felt like to be Granger…? Maybe he'd apologise to her again next week.

"Harry… Don't do anything over the… Well, just don't be yourself."

Harry smiled. It was not the kind of smile you have when you're happy.

— **Dance of Death 33—**

**Next Chapter:** **Dolores Umbridge gets what's coming to her.**

**Year five is almost over and I promise year six will go by much faster than the fifth or the fourth year.**

**Notes:**

**First, I want to thank the many readers who have read and reviewed my story. It means a lot when you take the time to give feedback. Some of the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, while a few have expressed frustration at the Angst and Pace of the story. Message received and I appreciate the constructive feedback. I confess that the story has more angst than I originally intended. The Pace is about to pick up significantly and the Angst will be dialled back.**

**Unfortunately, in many ways I 'boxed myself in' with having to keep** _**this** _ **Harry on the path to become the** _**future** _ **Harry Potter in Casting Shadows. Harry from Casting Shadows is an immensely powerful Wizard who doesn't really trust many people. In fact, he flat out dislikes most people in Wizarding Britain. Future Harry is a skilled hand to hand combatant and a brilliant combat mage. His occlumency and divinatory skills are world class. He has several lifetimes of knowledge all at his disposal and he knows how to use it. All at 20 years old. How did he get there? You can only learn so much theory before you need real experience. Distrust is also something that is 'earned'.**

**That's where incarnations and the 4** **th** **year betrayals kicked in. Daily combat in school skirmishes during his fourth year in a** _**somewhat** _ **controlled environment got him started. While not 'safe', the small skirmishes at Hogwarts were better than dodging killing curses in Diagon Alley. Was it too much? Well, it was more angst than I originally intended. But look at where Harry is now. He has a solid understanding of hand to hand fighting. No, he's not a 'super boxer', but he can beat most Wizards in hand to hand combat with ease. He can sense magic at least as well as either Dumbledore or Voldemort. Yes, the sensitivity caused him pain at first, but he adjusted. He is getting therapy with Dr. Gaines to get past his neglected and emotionally abusive childhood. He needs it. Anyone would need it.**

**Harry has all the knowledge of both parents and is learning to integrate it into his still developing fighting style. He has learned skills from both Remus and Tonks that he would never have learned at Hogwarts. Skills he only has because he was forced to take a break from magic. His core is being rebuilt by two ancient elder elementals of mythical power. Already powerful, now he will be 'Casting Shadows' powerful. When he returns for his OWLs, he will be near fully healed and ready for whatever the Wizarding World can throw at him. The thorns slow him down somewhat physically, but in dealing with the pain, he is learning to focus far beyond what a normal witch or wizard would ever need to develop. This will help him as he explores new ways to use magic.**

**Until next time.**

**Speaking of next time... I raised the rating to M in anticipation of the next two chapters. They'll be extremely violent. Especially chapter 35. Year six will have blood and death. Year seven will be a war zone.**

**No more 'Poor Harry'. He's now transforming into 'Casting Shadows' Harry. And I've finally gotten his Runespoor into the story! I've missed her.**

**Stick around.**


	34. Chapter 34

— **Dance of Death 34—**

**In the last chapter, Harry's magic has recovered, and he has learned to focus past the pain from the thorns. He has been working with the incarnations of his parents each night in his Dreamscape learning to master the knowledge and skills they have passed on. He has been able to create seven 'Spell Matrixes' which are an ancient form of magic that predates wands.**

**A spell matrix allows a wizard to store the foundation of a spell in their own pattern and launch it from the matrix. Having seven matrices allows him to choose seven different spells to be able to cast. A spell matrix is not as fast or flexible as a wand, it still can be quite effective. Each morning, Harry either keeps his chosen matrices, or he re-attunes them to a different spell.**

**Harry and Draco are now returning to Hogwarts to take their OWL exams. Harry obviously has plans beyond his OWLs and getting justice is his top priority. Dolores Umbridge is right at the top of his list. I originally planned to present this in one chapter, but it is growing too fast and I decided to split it.**

— **DoD—**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.**

**FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories. The Ritual of Thorns and Oakheart are two examples.**

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

**Chapter 34: Comeuppance part 1**

**Kings Cross**

**June 8, 1996**

**Saturday Afternoon**

Harry and Draco were taken by Narcissa and Andromeda to platform 9 ¾ to take the express to Hogwarts. Harry spotted a few order members in the crowd, as well as Bill, Arthur, and Molly. Classes technically ended for those not taking NEWTS or OWLs yesterday and Ginny would be coming home today. That meant Harry would have about two hours with her before he had to head back to Hogwarts. Departing on the same train Ginny was arriving on.

Well, at least he'd see Hermione and Neville at the school. Still, there were people on the train he'd rather not see… most of Hufflepuff house. Most of Ravenclaw. Most of… well, just about everyone. Doctor Gaines helped him learn how to cope with stressful social situations and he was particularly good at the 'Dead Face' that came from the emotional Occlumency.

Given his 'thorny problem', Harry just didn't feel good about handling his invisibility cloak. So, he left it at Grimmauld Place. Moving around unseen was something he had learned to appreciate over the years, so he made sure to prepare the 'Disillusionment' charm and the 'Anonymous' charm and place them in two of his Matrices.

Harry frequently wished he had known the Anonymous charm last year… His father had taught it to him over the last few weeks. Unlike the Disillusionment charm, it didn't make him invisible. Instead, it made him unnoticed and unobtrusive. Just a face in the crowd. Being able to blend in with the crowds made the hallways of Hogwarts far safer. Of course, he wouldn't have the skills he had today if his fourth year had been safer. Silver lining…

In everyday situations and when moving through crowds, the Anonymous charm was significantly better than disillusionment. It was equally a glamour and a subtle mental influence. A strong enough mind would notice it, but 95% of the populations would just ignore him and struggle to recall his features. It would essentially force others not to notice him. Still, he hated using up his spell matrices on limited use charms. With only seven matrices, each one had to be carefully considered. His dad had taught him the 'Anonymous' charm to help him navigate around Hogwarts.

On a whim, Harry quietly cast the 'Anonymous' charm as the Hogwarts Express approached. The people he was with already knew he was here, so they'd see right through it. But no one else would unless they intently focused on his nondescript form and actively tried to identify him. He'd just look like some average Joe standing beside Draco.

Andromeda peered at him a moment. "Nice effect. Now, try to stay out of trouble. You are there for one reason and one reason only – to take your OWLs. This is not the time or the place for revenge. Take your OWLs, get your wand, and keep your head down."

Narcissa then addressed her son and Harry both, "Watch each other's backs. Remember, staying safe is paramount."

Harry smiled, "Mr. Felder will be in Hogsmeade and will accompany me into Hogwarts."

Andromeda tensed up a bit, "Harry… Why is our solicitor going to be there?"

"If anything unfortunate occurs, he will have already formally notified Dumbledore that he is not to meet with me alone. He will always have to be present as I'm no longer an official student. There is precedent. Also… if anyone tries anything, I plan to respond in full force."

Andromeda narrowed her eyes a bit, "Define 'Full Force', please."

"Why do you insist on hearing what we both know will only upset you? I won't kill anyone for a stinging hex, but I'll break their hands. I won't kill anyone for a stunner, but I'll shatter their hip. The darker the spell, the more excruciating the response. I will always respond with twice the force as the attack."

Andromeda considered her words. "I want you to stay away from Umbridge and Snape." Turning to Draco, Andromeda added, "Draco, watch his back and make sure no one does anything they'll regret. Harry, do not think Umbridge won't pay for her crimes… but please let me deal with her."

Harry considered her words for a moment. "If no one bothers me, I won't bother anyone. But, as you said, Umbridge will pay. It might not be this year, but she will pay. And **I'll** be the one who collects the debt."

Andromeda looked at Narcissa a moment. "I suppose I'll be in Hogsmeade for the next two weeks as well." She almost said she was disappointed, but in truth, she was proud. Harry was beginning to show his Black side.

— **DoD—**

**Three Hours Later**

**The Hogwarts Express**

Harry had been told that there were students that weren't going to Hogwarts. Mostly home schooled or from various Wiccan covens or Druidic groups. But he was shocked to see so many. Based on what he was seeing, there were at least as many fifth and seventh year students electing to train outside Hogwarts as there were Hogwarts students. Harry had no idea there were so many… He thought Hogwarts was mandatory without a good reason. Why were they allowed a wand and he wasn't? In fact, why was Draco allowed a wand and why hadn't he thought about it before now?

Harry and Draco found a compartment and Draco left to give Harry and Ginny a bit of privacy. Using Draco's wand, Harry put a strong locking charm on the door to keep people away. Ever since their duel at Gringotts, Draco's wand seemed to work well for him. He avoided using it as Draco seemed to grow irritated when he asked. That was understandable, really. A wand was a very personal thing for a wizard or a witch. He also warded it against others with a simple Confundus and Repulsion ward. People would just skip the compartment and ignore the door. He missed being a curse breaker.

Harry spent an hour with Ginny on the train while it loaded up with students going to take their OWLs or their NEWTs. Ginny was thrilled to be done with school and hoped to be a chaser next year now that Angelina and Alicia were off the team. Harry didn't have the heart to tell her he couldn't play with his thorns. Not only would the thorns make it hard for him to grasp and ride his broom, but he wasn't even sure it was legal given the way seekers so frequently met each other.

Ginny also shared more stories about the 'inquisitors' and how bad things had gotten. She suspected Hogwarts was helping them as the stairs seemed to frequently work against the inquisitors. The elves also began giving support to those frequently targeted. It was like having a bunch of junior Death Eaters running around making trouble. Everyone had been waiting for the curse on the position to kick in, but it still hadn't.

On that note, she stood up to leave and handed Harry back his map. "You'll probably need this, Harry. We've heard comments…" She paused a moment before nervously continuing. "The Inquisitor's have been talking about you specifically. Please be careful, Harry."

"I will, Ginny. Thanks for returning the map." No sense telling her that any inquisitors he encountered would rue the day.

"Harry, you know they're on the train, right?"

"Well, I guess. The ones not taking their OWLs or NEWTs… Going home…" What was she getting at?

"No, Harry. Sixth year prefects always stay behind to assist the home-schooled students that take their NEWTs. But this year, Umbridge kept all her fifth year and up Inquisitors as well. Some will be on the train, Harry. _Please_ be careful."

"I will Ginny. I so want to kiss you…" The pain of not being able to do more than hold Dragon hide gloved hands was almost as bad as the thorns themselves. Well, not really… but it still stunk.

"I have to go now, but I'll see you in two weeks. Goodbye Harry."

"Goodbye Gin. I love you."

"I love you too."

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts Express**

**Harry and Draco's Compartment**

**June 8** **th** **, Saturday**

Soon after Ginny left, Draco returned to the compartment. He looked extremely distracted. The pair sat quietly until the train pulled away. Harry removed the charms from the door so the food trolley would find them.

Harry turned to his visibly distracted friend, "I don't know what you learned, but please share."

Draco sat back a moment and considered what he'd been told.

"Harry, you know about the inquisitors, right?" Seeing Harry nod, he continued, "Slytherin house isn't just a bunch of aspiring Death Eaters. There are… moderates in the house. They don't feel safe. Imagine having to share a common room and a dorm with the worst elements of Slytherin. Imagine they had been given free rein."

"Shite." Harry thought about those three Slytherin girls who helped him last year.

"People are scared, Harry. The girl I like is terrified. Most of my friends are just going along with it all to avoid being targeted."

This was the first time Draco had mentioned a girl. "The girl you like, can she go to Dumbledore or Snape?" Harry couldn't believe he just recommended going to Snape for anything.

Draco answered, "Her older sister is on the Inquisitor squad, but she's no aspiring Death Eater. We all do things we never dreamed we would… to protect family. Snape has been reining the Inquisitors in within the common room, but Umbridge has been emboldening them."

"Draco, you can tell your girl not to worry. If things go the way I expect, there won't be any Inquisitors next year."

"What about her sister? Can you… _**not do**_ whatever you are planning… to her?"

"Draco, I don't even know who we're talking about. Are you willing to share?" Seeing Draco considering whether or not to tell him, Harry exclaimed, "Oh, come on! I would have met her on Valentines if… well, if not for everything that happened."

"Her name is Astoria. Astoria Greengrass. Her sister is Daphne Greengrass. She's protecting more than just Astoria and she's helped other houses too." Seeing Harry thinking about who it was and realising he wasn't sure, Draco added, "Just don't hurt her."

Harry suddenly straightened up, "You mean the Ice Queen? She's a real bitch."

Draco laughed. "Yeah. Well, she may be cold, but she's not cruel. Her best friend is a Half-Blood and she's walking a rough line."

Harry thought about this. "Alright. I won't hurt her." He remembered her now. Always so icy cold. Giving those icy stares. Wearing that damn 'Potter Stinks' button. "But you need to tell her to stay out of my way. I have no idea who Astoria is."

"She's a third year, but only because her birthday is in September. Her parents didn't want her to be the youngest in her year."

Harry thought about that. It made sense. Hermione was one of the oldest in her year and it showed. She's very mature and seems to just be a little more together than everyone else. While he, on the other hand, was one of the youngest in his year and always smaller than everyone else. Physically, he'd always been closer in appearance to Ginny's year. That meant the Ice Queen's sister was about the same age as Ginny.

"Seriously, Draco. Pass the word, if the Ice Queen sees me squaring up against the Inquisitors, run the other way."

Draco considered this conversation. He had no idea what Harry was planning. Harry was pretty much healed and way more powerful than anyone thought possible. He had a solicitor on standby… And they had been practicing some weird spells.

"Harry, what are you planning?"

"I'm sort of making it up as I go. But I plan to take a lot of people out."

Draco groaned. Was this why Granger and Weasley act the way they do? Sure, it was an energetic ride, but the stress! What if it blew up in his face? What if… ARRRGGG. The only consoling thought was that there'd be no guilt. Unless someone got hurt in the crossfire…

Draco was pulled out of his thoughts when there was a knock on the door.

Just outside the compartment door was a small kid in a wheelchair. He was looking intently at Harry.

Harry got up and opened the door. "Hello?"

"Hello, my name is Billy. Billy Corbin. Would you mind giving me an autograph?"

Harry looked at the kid. He looked like he'd been in an accident. "Well, alright… I'm really not famous or anything…" Suddenly, Harry saw two prefects making their rounds. Cho Chang and some sixth year Ravenclaw. Was it Carmichael? Shite.

Harry froze up for a moment. "Hey, Billy… hit me up later. I… need to use the loo." Harry did _**not**_ want to see Cho. She kept writing to him!

Harry took off and ducked into the loo. Once inside, he shifted his hearing to owl levels. Cho was trying to find him. She asked Draco if he had seen him. Billy… shite. Billy ratted him out. Harry stepped out of the loo and used the 'Anonymous' charm to blend in with a group of home schoolers. Pretending to look out the window, he used his occlumency to maintain a completely calm demeanour. Cho soon walked by. Done.

Harry made his way back and was relieved to see Billy had left. Entering the compartment, Harry borrowed Draco's wand and raised the wards and locks again. Draco looked amused.

After handing Draco his wand, Harry sat quietly. He ignored Draco's smirk if he possibly could. Draco still knew how to get to him… it was a gift.

"What?"

"So, Dark Lords, Dragons, Dementors, and a whole bunch of Inquisitors… you're ok with that. But one pretty Ravenclaw and you lose it." Draco laughed and shook his head. "You are one complex nut-job Harry."

Harry snickered a bit despite his irritation. "What would you do?"

"Well, you're holding all the cards. She feels bad and wants absolution." He thought for a moment. "I'd ask for restitution."

That surprised Harry. "What?! Are you serious?"

"She humiliated you in public at a Ministry approved event. An event that was partially in your honour. As the Heir of an Ancient and Most Noble House, that's grounds for all kinds of reprisals. _Legal_ reprisals." Draco rubbed his chin in thought. "Do you think she even knows that? She doesn't seem scared, just ashamed. Fairly desperate, but not in the way she _should_ feel. You could do a lot of damage to the Chang family. You could ruin her."

Harry squirmed about, shifting his thorns. Cushioning charms on the mat he was sitting on only helped so much. "I'd rather just ignore her. I really want to forget all about the Yule Ball."

Draco stopped smiling, "Yeah. I guess I'd be the same way. I'm sorry about those Buttons."

Harry barked out a laugh. "Yeah. Do you think anyone will be wearing any?" It was clear how much they had hurt him.

Draco now had an idea of how Cho felt. Harry wore his heart on his sleeve. Well, when he wasn't doing the 'Dead Face' Occlumency trick.

"No, Harry. The charm would have worn off ages ago. But I _**am**_ sorry."

"I'll forgive you if you don't bring it up again." Harry wondered why it was so much easier to forgive the guy who made the Buttons than the people that wore them. Maybe it had to do with expectations. Draco did exactly as Harry had expected, but everyone who wore them let him down. Thank you, Doctor Gaines.

Draco smiled politely. "Deal."

"Hey, wait a second, shouldn't I be seeking _**restitution**_?"

"Too late, you already made the deal." Grinning, Draco added, "Besides, you have all my money."

"So true."

— **DoD—**

About an hour later, they saw the food trolley and flagged her down. Sitting and snacking, Harry once more considered how many kids were being home schooled. He knew Hogwarts wasn't cheap, but the tuition was adjusted to income levels, so there really wasn't a financial reason. For some people it was free.

"Draco, why are so many kids home schooled? I have to admit, there are a lot more than I expected."

Lots of reasons. Let's ignore the whole Wiccan covens and Druidic groves, those are easy to understand. Based on what we saw on the platform, I'd say they make up about a third of the students. They don't follow the Hermetic methods, but they still must pass their OWLs to practice magic. No, they're not happy about that, but it is what it is."

Harry asked, "Wait, what about Muggle-Born? What if Hermione decided to join a bunch of other witches and form a coven?"

"Covens can include men too, but there are plenty of all female covens. They're powerful, too. But they would only approach a Hogwarts student upon graduation. Muggle-Born students must attend Hogwarts, it's the law. Unless they are somehow apprenticed… but I don't know how that would happen at eleven." Draco shrugged and continued. "But we're getting off topic. Really Harry, I need you to focus."

Harry chuckled. Draco got wound up so easily.

Draco got them back on topic. "The other students either have some kind of disability, extreme medical issues beyond what Hogwarts can treat, or, most often, their parents just decided not to send them."

Harry wondered, "Can you give examples?"

Draco was getting into this, "Medical issues make up maybe five percent of the students. Any life threatening and difficult to treat health problems. Certain maledictions or lingering curses. Disabilities would be blindness, mobility issues like that boy who wanted your autograph, dyslexia, stuff like that. Then there are the dissenters. They make up the majority." Considering, Draco said, "Probably half don't agree with the curriculum. Technically the Druidic and Wiccan parents fall into this, but they have different reasons. The half that intentionally keeps their kids home is doing it for political or social reasons."

Harry thought he understood. "Like the blood status fixation?" That was the most annoying aspect.

Draco considered the question carefully. "Yes, but not completely. Many of the sacred 28 believe Hogwarts has failed to present a balanced view. The feel the school caters to those outside of our society far more than to those inside. They think Hogwarts ignores many of the cultural practices and rituals that make up our society."

Harry thought Andromeda might have said something about this. "Why not have a course for that?"

"Well, there are two sides here. Consider how the Wiccan families or the Hermetic families would feel if the school taught Druidic rituals. Then there are those from other cultures with completely different rituals. The Patil sisters or Zabini probably don't want to learn about traditional British rituals or customs that differ significantly from their own. They have a time lag. The board decided it was best to focus on magic and magic theory and let the cultural aspects and rituals be taught at home."

Harry remembered that the Malfoy family was a long-time financial supporter of Hogwarts and had a seat on the board. Or used to. "That makes sense." He hated to admit it, though.

Draco continued, "Many of the Heirs of the Ancient and Noble families don't go to Hogwarts. They'll send the cousins, but not the main family lines. Your godfather becoming a rebel had a lot to do with that. He apparently left for Hogwarts as a proper pure blood heir but came back ready to throw all tradition to the wind and act like one of the Weird Sisters. It was pretty shocking."

Harry angrily replied, "He had his reasons!"

Draco held up his hands. "I'm sure he did. This isn't about him, it's about the fears of the traditionalist families. Many of the more liberal families practically worshiped Dumbledore and that made Hogwarts a school that the more conservative families viewed as a testament to our societies eroding values."

Harry depressingly said, "So, most of the home-schooled students are basically purebloods who think Hogwarts is too liberal."

Draco shook his head. "No. About twenty percent fall into that category. The others are mostly Half-Bloods who don't want their children picked on. Usually they're from established families and married a muggle-born or even a muggle. They think Hogwarts is full of bigots and blood purists."

Harry was beginning to understand. "Like Slytherin house."

Draco winced. There was some truth there. "Yeah. But it's not so bad if you aren't from an old family. Most of the pure bloods would just leave you alone." Seeing Harry's obvious disagreement, Draco added, "I know what you're thinking, Harry. But Granger got it significantly worse than most, mainly because she's so vocal in condemning the establishment. She also was… your best friend. I'm sorry, but it's true."

They sat quietly a minute, then Harry asked, "So, how do they get trained? The wealthier families can get tutors, but the others…?"

Draco nodded, "There are small study groups. Most families try extremely hard to get into those groups. They pool their resources and bring in tutors. You'd be surprised how many tutors reduce their fees to help in one of these schools. There are tax breaks as well."

"Alright. So, five percent have medical issues. We'll say thirty percent are part of either Wiccan covens or Druidic groves. Twenty percent are pureblood royalty. That means almost half are just people that are afraid their children will be picked on."

Draco suddenly realised he left out a group. "I forgot Squibs and Near-Squibs. They have their own OWLs. Just to stay in our society, they need to know enough about it. They probably make up about ten or fifteen percent. And not all the dissenters are afraid of being picked on. Some of those study groups are _**very well**_ thought of. Think of them as advanced curriculum for kids that don't want to go to boarding school. If my family hadn't been on the board, I may have gone to one of those groups. A few are focused on a specific core skill, like enchanting or wand lore. The Ollivander family likes to train their own children."

It was sinking in. "So, what's a Near-Squib?"

"Basically, a Wizard or Witch that can use a wand, but doesn't have the power to do anything advanced. No Transfiguration, but simple charms are fine. They're doing well to get an 'Acceptable' on their Charms OWLs. They won't be able to manage NEWT level studies that involve practical applications. In a lot of ways, they're the real losers. They can't go to Muggle University if they want to use magic, but they can't use magic well enough to get very far in our society. You'll get a few that progress in Potions, Herbology, Runes, Arithmancy or Care of Magic Creatures… but no wand work beyond second or third year levels. Some become tutors in other study groups… but they don't have the magical ability to do anything practical with the knowledge. Still, there are some good tutors who lack the skill to practice what they teach. A lot people thought Longbottom was a Near-Squib. Some still do."

"So, all these people that don't want to be at Hogwarts are forced to come and take their OWLs here."

Draco looked thoughtfully at Harry, "Yes. It seems cruel when you put it like that."

Harry changed the topic. "Ginny mentioned Prefects. Why haven't I seen Hermione or Ron on the train?"

Draco was glad for the change. "Only the sixth year Prefects are 'on duty'. Fourth year Prefects are still learning the job, fifth years are preparing for their OWLs, and the seventh years are preparing for their NEWTs. Your friend Bell is probably here on the train."

"Katie? I'd like to see her again." Harry then looked at the door, wondering why he hadn't seen her.

"Don't count on it. This is the Ravenclaw section of the train. We always divide up the train. Well, back when I was a prefect we would. Besides, I doubt Bell will be allowed anywhere near Chang." Draco then laughed a bit. "Not after the beating she gave her at the Yule Ball. Bell's lucky she didn't lose her Prefect status."

Harry hadn't thought of that. "How did she manage that?"

Draco shrugged, "Flitwick spoke up on her behalf and Dumbledore asked McGonagall to be lenient."

"Draco, thanks for taking the time to explain this stuff to me. I appreciate it." Draco gave a short nod. After pausing a minute, Harry said, "I want you to know I see you as a friend, now. After the first few years… well, I just wanted you to know that."

Draco looked at Harry a moment before responding. "You know I like women, right? No offence, but I'm not interested."

"What? No, that's not what I meant…" What the hell?

"Sounded like a proposition to me. I just thought I would let you down easy before you embarrassed yourself."

"Fuck you, Draco."

"There you go again, Harry. Always with the Potty mouth."

"You're a GIT."

Draco opened a book and began studying for his exams. He always found it relaxing to get under Harry's skin. After about an hour, he said, "You're a friend too Harry."

Harry ignored him.

Draco Malfoy chuckled the rest of the way to Hogwarts. Irritating Harry on the Hogwarts Express was something he had come to look forward to.

— **Dance of Death 34—**

**Hogwarts**

**June 8, 1996**

**Saturday, 9PM**

When the Hogwarts Express arrived, Harry and Draco disembarked and found Mr. Felder. The man was standing beside the carriages and waved when he saw Harry.

"Mr. Potter. Mr. Malfoy. Most of the students are taking their OWLs, so they'll be approaching from the Lake. I understand it's a tradition for the first time at Hogwarts. You two can proceed directly to the castle with the NEWT testers and we'll meet up in the Headmaster's office after you unpack. You'll get first choice of the beds."

Harry smiled. "Thank you." He noticed Mr. Felder was very attentive to his thorns.

Draco and Harry grabbed a carriage and rode up with a pair of NEWT students. Both were immaculately dressed and seemed to know Draco.

Draco politely introduced Harry. "Heir Selwyn, Heir Greengrass. This is Heir Black. You likely know him as Heir Potter."

The first Wizard introduced himself, "Joseph Selwyn. Pleased to meet you." Harry noticed that he didn't really seem _pleased_.

"Michael Greengrass, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He seemed sincere.

Harry nodded politely to each of them. "Hadrian Potter. It's nice to meet you both. You can call me Harry. Everyone else does. It's easier than deciding whether to call me Potter or Black."

Harry could tell they were a bit surprised by his casual demeanour. Draco pursed his lips. Whatever. After a minute or two of silence, the Greengrass boy extended his hand.

"Call me Michael, Harry. I must admit to having followed some of your exploits." Harry noted that Joseph Selwyn did not invite him to use his last first name.

Harry started to reach out, then pulled back and held his thorn covered hand up. "Sorry, I have a slight thorn problem. But I'm glad to meet you as well." Michael chuckled politely.

The rest of the way to the school, the students simply looked at the sights. Harry could tell Michael wanted to say more, but he didn't. Draco seemed to know what was going on.

After leaving the carriage, the other NEWT students gathered and were met by Umbridge and her Inquisitors. Harry made a point to memorise each of their faces. At one point he made eye contact with Umbridge and he turned on the Emotional Occlumency. Everyone said he looked emotionless in that state and it was unnerving. Threatening even. Perfect. They stared long enough at each other that people began whispering. The message was clear.

After breaking eye contact, Umbridge addressed the NEWT students. "Greetings and Welcome to Hogwarts. Volunteers from the school will lead you to your dorms. Once you unpack, please proceed to the great hall and you'll be given your instructions for the next two weeks. We hope you will find Hogwarts to meet all your academic and social needs in the two weeks you are here. If you need any assistance, feel free to ask a prefect or one of my hand selected volunteers."

A student in a wheelchair raised her hand. Harry noticed Umbridge grimaced looking at the girl. "Yes, dear?"

"I have need to get a medical portkey. Who should I see?"

You will need to see the headmaster. Miss Greengrass, please escort Miss…?"

"Rosier."

Umbridge suddenly stopped sneering. "Yes. Please escort Miss Rosier to the Headmasters office. Along with any others that need medical assistance."

Harry had to fight a gag reflex. Umbridge was scowling when she thought the girl was just some cripple. The minute she found out her name was Rosier, she was oh-so-concerned. Harry said a silent prayer that he'd get his chance for payback this visit.

— **DoD—**

He and Draco followed the crowd and came to an unused tower that housed a set of dormitories. The ground level was the common room. The next four levels were reserved for OWL students and three top levels were for NEWT students. It seemed unfair given that there were more than twice as many OWL students. Harry and Draco went to the fourth level and found their trunks. As they picked out their beds.

Harry asked, "What was up with Michael and Selwyn? That was an awkward ride."

"The Greengrass family is a cadet family to the Selwyn's. They're more neutral, but they must defer to the Selwyn family when they're together. Michael is a nice guy, but he broke protocol when he accepted your invitation for formality. He should have followed Joseph's lead. It was a minor error, and he didn't speak after that."

Harry wondered, "Is he related to your girlfriend and Daphne?"

Draco just said, "Older brother."

"So, why is he home schooled while his sisters are at Hogwarts?"

Draco smiled sincerely, "They're socially networking and looking for potential husbands. It's something a lot of pureblood families do. Michael won't have a choice in who he marries, he'll have to trust in his parents to set up a good pairing. But it's best to let daughters have more say in the decision. It prevents… unfortunate actions later."

"Well, Miss Ice Queen better thaw out her knickers if she wants a husband."

Draco laughed, "Always classy, Potter!"

They each picked out a wardrobe and Harry warded them both. His trunk was warded to a ridiculous level, but that had taken time. No one short of Dumbledore would be getting into that without a major time investment. The wardrobes would be a quick job.

The wards were still good enough to prevent most of the castle inhabitants from getting in, but a concerted effort by anyone with basic curse-breaking skills would eventually get through them. Harry would, however, be alerted if that occurred. On a whim, he put a nasty curse on both wardrobes in case anyone tried to get in. His trunk was already warded like a warzone keep. He was really enjoying using his curse-breaker skills once more. Harry added a 'House Elf' exception so Dobby could take care of their clothes. Speaking of which…

"Dobby!"

The small elf appeared. "How can Dobby serve master?"

"Hi, Dobby. I just wanted to show you where we're set up. If you can help us unpack, that'd be great." Harry opened his chest.

Up sprang a certain three headed snake.

" _§Surprise! §" "§We're here for you! §" "§It was a long ride; can we have some water? §"_

Harry jumped back. _"§What the hell? §"_

" _§You should have told us how long the ride was. §" "§We peed on your clothes, sorry. §" "§When are you going to kill someone? §" "§Will you take us on a tour? §" "§We tried to hold it, but we couldn't. §" "§No one will notice. §" "§Is this where we're sleeping? §"_

Harry realised Draco and Dobby were staring at him.

Harry stood slack jawed for a minute, then asked, "Dobby, can you… get my clothes clean?"

Draco asked, "You're sending it… _**them**_ back, right? With Dobby." Draco knew Harry was sensitive about how people referred to his Familiar.

After a moment, Harry shook his head. "No. I want her here. And Hogwarts can't turn away a bonded Familiar."

"Harry, that's a… _**she's**_ a quadruple X class creature."

Harry straightened up "She stays."

" _§Yeesss. §" "§We're not going anywhere without Harry. §" "§Who do we bite first? §"_

Harry corrected them. _"§ No more 'Bite' talk. Or talk about killing. Just call it '_ _ **Magic**_ _' or something. I don't want to slip up and say something I'll regret. §"_

Looking up at Dobby and Draco, Harry realised they were curious as to what he had said. "They promise to be on good behaviour." Harry then poured them a bit of water to drink and let them slither up his arm between the thorns. Soon she was peeking out of his collar.

Draco just stared in disbelief. No wonder Granger was always such a basket case.

— **Dance of Death 34—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Office**

**June 9, 1996**

**Sunday 9:30PM**

Harry and Draco arrived at the Headmasters office and met Mr. Felder outside the entrance hall. Mr. Felder gave them a scrutinising look and concluded that something had already occurred.

"Mr. Potter… Mr. Malfoy. Why do I get the impression you two are up to something?" At that point, Harry's Familiar peeked three of her heads out of Harry's collar. The solicitor suddenly froze and stared.

Harry smiled politely. "Mr. Felder allow me to introduce my Familiar. Hecate, Selene, and Artemis. They decided to stow away in my trunk and now that they're here… Well, I think I'd like them to stay. By law, Hogwarts is not allowed to interfere with a student and their Familiar."

The solicitor was at a loss for words. "Heir Black… and yes, I will be addressing you by your Ancient and Most Noble title around your headmaster… I have not had an opportunity to research precedence here… I admit to not being prepared for this eventuality." After a pause, he asked, "Have you actually bonded with a Runespoor?"

"I bonded with her when she was still an egg."

Draco rubbed his forehead. He felt a headache developing.

"I… see. Well, the school can't forcefully separate you, but it can deny you entrance." After a moment, he added, "But I don't think they will."

Harry's Familiar began a dialog only Harry could understand. _"§ We're here to stay. §" "§ Harry is going to '_ _ **Magic**_ _' people. §"_

Harry looked at her. _"§ Keep your head down. I don't want anything happening too soon. §"_ Looking up, Harry addressed his solicitor, "Do you see any insurmountable problems?"

"No, but I normally like to be better prepared, Heir Black. Let me do the talking." Turning toward the Gargoyle, he said, "Salt Water Taffy."

The Gargoyle moved aside, and spiral stairs were now visible. After a short walk, the three of them entered the Headmaster's quarters with Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Umbridge.

Albus Dumbledore smiled with twinkling eyes. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter. So good to have you both back. Mr. Potter, you appear to have recovered from the unpleasant experience."

Harry smiled. "Thank you, Headmaster. I've learned to focus through the pain. Of course, pain and Hogwarts do seem to always go together."

Mr. Felder stepped in to keep this from escalating. "Given the unfortunate circumstances from the last visit, I am serving you and your staff with a notification of representation. Heir Black will require my presence if any of you or other members of the staff wish to meet privately with him. There will be no exceptions."

Harry noted that Umbridge seemed a bit distressed. Good. She'll be desperate and easier to manipulate. Dumbledore looked sad but accepting. Professor McGonagall seemed ambivalent.

Mr. Felder continued. "Additionally, Heir Black has a new Familiar and no one will be allowed contact with it except for him. Failure to abide by this will result in legal action. This is non-negotiable."

Dumbledore seemed to light up. "This is wonderful news. Your Familiar is always welcome at Hogwarts, Harry."

Draco took three steps to the side to watch the events unfold.

Harry smiled. "Thank you, sir. I'll let her know." Harry stretched the collar of his shirt and said, _"§ Come on out and say hello, sweetie. §"_

Three little heads peeked out of Harry's shirt. Albus Dumbledore immediately stopped smiling.

Draco Malfoy found this to be one of the most hysterical moments he had ever witnessed. Years later, he would look back on this meeting whenever he felt the need to laugh or smile. Minerva McGonagall lost all composure and shrieked. Umbridge screeched out something incoherent and pulled her wand. Dumbledore immediately disarmed her, prompting the vile woman to climb up and stand on a chair. Mr. Felder raised a shield over Harry ensuring no harm would come to his client. Then the shouting started.

Throughout the entire scene, Harry Potter just smirked in a way only someone covered in thorns can. Equal parts amusement and maliciousness. All the while, Albus Dumbledore tried to calm his staff and Mr. Felder threatened legal action. Draco finally understood why Granger and Weasley were always following Harry around. Moments like this don't just happen. And they live forever inside your mind. Always there, waiting to bring you happiness and joy.

Harry ended the discussion by offering to pursue his education at Beauxbatons. He even produced a letter accepting him for OWL testing at the end of June. Oddly, Both Dumbledore _**and**_ Umbridge seemed eager to prevent that. It was agreed that Harry and Mr. Felder would return the next morning to discuss Harry's testing in more detail.

— **Dance of Death 34—**

**Hogwarts**

**June 9, 1996**

**Sunday, 7:30 AM**

Harry and Draco had their floor to themselves as soon as everyone heard there was a Runespoor in their dorm. Draco had made her sound far larger and more vicious that reality, but it had the result of giving Harry and Draco the fourth level all to themselves.

The boys woke and showered. Harry was heading to see the Headmaster and Draco was going to meet his friends. Showering took twice as long for Harry due to the thorns and the inability to use a towel. He finally just jumped up and down until he was reasonably dry. He had no intention of wasting a spell matrix on a drying charm. Coming out of the shower, he slowly woke his Familiar. Hecate and Selene were happy and eager, but Artemis was not a morning serpent. She bared her fangs, nearly resulting in a three-way brawl.

In the end, Harry fed each of his girls a tiny vole and everyone was happy. Coming downstairs, Harry saw all the different home-schooled students. Having a small Runespoor poking out of his shirt collar resulted in far more attention than he had wanted. He silently cursed himself for sending Draco on ahead of him.

" _§Why are they all looking at us? §" "§Are they looking at us or Harry? §" "§Who do we bite first? §"_

Harry quietly whispered _"§No biting. They're staring because… you girls are so beautiful. §"_

" _§Are you sure? §" "§They look fearful. §"_

Harry suddenly saw Katie Bell and Cormac McLaggen. Katie was smiling and Cormac seemed to be curiously looking around.

Harry ignored Cormac and addressed his friend. "Katie! How are you?" Turning to Cormac, he simply said, "McLaggen."

Cormac weakly smiled and said, "Potter." He was staring at the Runespoor.

Katie was still smiling, but she was looking at both Harry and his Familiar. "Hi Harry. I see you have a new Familiar. I'd heard the rumours… Does it bite?"

The girls immediately took offense, _"§Did that two-tail just call us_ _ **'it'**_ _? §" "§I'll bite her good. §" "§Who does she think she is? §"_ What everyone else heard was spitting and hissing with needle like fangs bared.

Harry shushed the angry serpents and said, "Sorry, they don't like to be referred to as 'it'. This is Hecate, Artemis, and in the middle is Selene. My girls." Harry then addressed them directly, " _§ Sssshhh, Katie is a friend. She didn't mean anything. §"_

Katie looked nervous and Cormac was just watching nervously.

Katie recovered and looking at the tiny Runespoor, she said, "I'm sorry. Harry and I have been friends for years. I just wasn't sure how to… you know." Her nervousness was clear.

After conferring in a twisted coil, Hecate said, _"§ we'll let it slide. §"_

Cormac wanted to get this over with. "We're supposed to escort you to the Headmaster's office. You know, protection."

Harry smiled, "Lead the way."

— **Dance of Death 34—**

**Headmaster's Office**

**8:00AM**

Harry was quietly escorted to the Headmaster's office and was surprised to see Andromeda standing beside Mr. Felder. Great. McGonagall was there as well, but no Umbridge.

" _§ That guy has more hair on his face than Harry has on his head. §"_ " _§ Katie had long hair. I liked it. §"_ " _§ Why is Harry's Mother here? §"_ " _§ Don't tell them we peed in your trunk. §"_ " _§ That would be so embarrassing. §"_ " _§ Why did we come back here? Last time everyone started screaming. §"_ " _§ When can we see Harry… do magic? §"_ " _§ We were in that trunk forever! §"_

Everyone seemed to be watching Harry's Familiar talking amongst herself. Andromeda gestured for Harry to join them.

Mr. Felder started the discussion. "There is concern that your Familiar is too young to fend for herself while you're taking your exams. We're coming up with a plan around this."

Harry asked, "Why can't she be with me? I mean, it's not like she can help me cheat or anything."

Professor McGonagall tilted her head, "What about the other testers, Mr. Potter? I'm afraid your Familiar would create a distraction."

" _§ What? §"_ " _§ Why is she so angry? §"_ " _§ Harry should do magic. §"_ Harry almost reacted to that but decided not to. 'Magic' was code for kill.

Ignoring his Familiar, Harry presented his solution. "I could leave her with Dobby while I'm testing. Seriously, she's not going to hurt anyone, and she likes Dobby."

Andromeda stated the obvious. "You could send her home. With Dobby."

Harry shook his head before the girls got enraged, "Not an option."

" _§ That's right. §" "§We're staying. §"_ " _§ We want to see Harry do magic. §"_

Albus Dumbledore stroked is beard and looked over his glasses, "Dobby it is, then. Professor McGonagall will give you the testing schedule. I must admit, I was surprised to see you signed up for so many wand-oriented exams."

Harry just shrugged. "I'd like to give them a try. By the way, I'll need my wand."

Everyone suddenly grew silent.

Dumbledore solemnly asked, "Mr. Potter, do you have a wand permit? Allowing you to use your wand outside of Hogwarts?"

Mr Felder looked at him briefly, then realized Harry did not have one. Harry could see him searching for a solution.

Harry slowly shook his head. "No, sir. But I'm here now. Can I have it while on the grounds?"

Dumbledore peered directly at Harry. "Allowing an unlicensed student access to a wand while they are no longer enrolled at Hogwarts is within my rights, but I'm hesitant to do so."

Harry rudely huffed, "Why?"

Dumbledore calmly proceeded, "Because I'm afraid of what you might do with it. Can you tell me you have no plans to seek retribution for what happened last February?"

Harry didn't say anything. He was prepared for this possible eventuality. He just didn't like that everyone else had a wand but him.

Dumbledore continued, "The road to revenge is littered with the bodies of innocents and sadness. It is not a road I would see you on, Harry."

"So, how will I pass my exams without a wand?"

"Madam Marchbanks will have your wand and she'll collect it after your practical exams. I'm sorry, Harry, but unless you are willing to take a vow…"

Harry glared at the Headmaster. Under his breath, he mumbled, "I'd like to tell you where to stick that vow."

Professor McGonagall and Andromeda both exclaimed, " **Language!** "

Mr. Felder spoke up, "I'll be applying for a wand permit immediately." Looking at Harry, he added, "But I don't expect to have it before your exams end."

Andromeda asked, "Heir Black's time at Hogwarts has been fraught with violence. How can he defend himself without a wand?"

Dumbledore smiled in his grandfatherly way. "I've taken the liberty of assigning two sixth year prefects to escort him between classes. He should be in no danger."

Harry rudely remarked, "Beauxbatons is looking better by the day."

Dumbledore sadly said, "Mr. Potter, hatred and anger can place you on very dark path." Harry could see Dumbledore was trying to tell him to forgive and forget… Hell no.

"I've been on a dark path for most of my life. I've learned how to see in the dark."

Harry left the meeting with Andromeda and Mr. Felder. Mr. Felder confessed that he had no idea how long a wand permit would take, but he expected people in the ministry would try to block it or slow it down.

— **DoD—**

Harry spent the rest of the day with Andromeda. They went into Hogsmeade together and picked up a reinforced messenger bag for Harry's familiar. Harry planned to borrow Draco's wand tonight and put a few extra protections on it. By the time he was done, it would be a small tank. They had lunch at the Three Broomsticks, then just wandered about. The girls loved the bag and not having to twist around thorns. They all enjoyed seeing Hogsmeade and just breathing the fresh outdoor air. The 'Girls' didn't even argue amongst themselves very much.

Harry was glad to get out of the castle, but after a few hours he was ready to head back. He hadn't yet seen Hermione or Neville. He also wanted to hear any rumours Draco had picked up. Andromeda walked him back. It was nice and normal just sight-seeing with his Guardian. Harry craved normal. Once in the castle, Andromeda insisted they waited for Katie and McLaggen. His Runespoor was safely tucked away in his new bag, sleeping. Soon enough, Katie showed up and Andromeda left for Hogsmeade.

"Hi, Katie. Is it just you?" Harry hope Cormac wouldn't join them.

"Yep, just me. Cormac's a bit scared of your Familiar." After a moment, she asked, "Does it hurt?"

Harry knew she meant the thorns. "It's a constant and terrible pain. At first, I could barely function… but after a week or so, I just learned to focus past it."

"Harry…" She was suddenly on the verge of tears.

Harry hated seeing her like this. "It's alright. My magic is back and this… thorny state is temporary." After a moment, he added, "It was a life or death decision, and I have zero regrets. I only wish I had done it sooner."

"Why? Why would you want… this?"

Harry shrugged, "It sped up my healing. A lot. And this level of focus is like nothing I've ever had to have. The process was godawful, but the results… worth it."

Katie considered what Harry had said. His magic was healed, and he had more focus. Did that mean he was even more powerful than before? I wouldn't want to be Umbridge.

"Katie, are you up to dinner?"

"Absolutely." As they walked, Harry talked about Quidditch and some of what Draco had shared regarding the Amateur rules. Katie kept thinking back to that tiny little boy in baggy clothes and how far he had come. He wasn't huge or anything, but he was athletic and a little taller than she was now. He was still wary. Always checking the periphery. Occasionally staring down an inquisitor or two. His training with Remus and Tonks was paying off. He knew when he was being watched and followed. And they were watching him, but he wasn't concerned.

After the regular school year, the tables in the Great Hall were not aligned with houses, so anyone could sit anywhere. Harry set his back to the wall and soon Hermione and Ron and Neville joined him. They joked around a bit and made plans for an after-OWL party. Draco soon joined the group and Harry seemed to relax a bit. Katie realised the two had somehow become friends. She wondered how in the hell that happened. Before they were done, Draco cleared his throat and got everyone's attention.

Looking pained, he began speaking, "Granger, I want to formally… offer an apology… for my abysmal behaviour over the last five years. I hope you will accept my offer of rapprochement. The terms to be determined at your convenience. When and if you are willing."

Ron perked up, "Oi, what about me?" His mouth was still full.

Draco grimaced, "What about you?"

"Aren't you going to offer an apology to me, too?" Ron was still chewing.

Draco had a disgusted look on his face. "I had to stare into your mouth and observe you chewing a half-masticated cow. I think _**you**_ should be the one apologising."

Harry had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.

Hermione didn't want this to escalate. "Malfoy, I accept your apology. In terms of a rapprochement… we'll discuss that later. In private."

Draco nodded.

Harry could tell how hard that was for Draco. It was also completely unexpected.

Harry decided to break the tension. "Alright, today's been great, but I need to put the girls down."

Hermione looked shocked, "What? What girls are you talking about?"

Harry smiled, "My egg hatched."

Hermione and Ron were noticeably quiet. Neville asked, "What egg."

Draco was fighting a smile.

Harry reached into his bag. "§ Are you awake? §"

Careful with his thorns, Harry let his familiar slither up his arm. "This is Hecate, Selene and Artemis." You could hear a pin drop. Harry kept his arm low so as not to attract attention.

The Runespoor was obviously waking up. " _§ When did we come back inside. §" "§I can't believe he woke us up… §"_ " _§ Who are these people? §"_ " _§ Katie and Draco. §"_

Harry quietly said, _"§ Girls, this is Hermione, Neville, Ron, and you know Draco and Katie. §"_

Katie was ready this time, "Hi girls." Then looking over at the other Gryffindor's, "They don't like to be referred to as an 'it', they're girl… snakes."

Harry corrected her, "They like to be called serpents."

Selene rose straight and proud. Artemis as well. " _§ It sounds better. §" "§I think girls are more like serpents and boys are like snakes… §."_

Hecate shook her head. " _§ For the love of Set_ _ **, it doesn't matter**_ _. §"_

Hermione timidly waved to the Runespoor. Neville didn't say a word.

— **DoD—**

Back in their Dorm, Draco was filling Harry in on what he had learned. "Umbridge is trying to get to you, but that writ from the solicitor is giving her fits. Near as my friends can tell, she apparently realised how big a mistake it was to provoke you and is terrified you'll call a blood feud against her."

"Why would she care? She'll just hide behind Fudge."

"She can't. When an Ancient and Most Noble house declares a blood feud against a non-titled person, like Umbridge, there are long term ramifications. For one, she can't work for the Ministry. Her career goes down the tubes. She likes to say she's a cousin of the Selwyn family, but she's not. And when she gets sacked, everyone will know."

Harry thought a moment, "Can I do that to Fudge?"

Draco laughed, "No. Some positions carry a title of their own. The minister is one of those positions. All law enforcement is exempt as well. Supposedly, Fudge tried to pressure Bones and Scrimgeour to hire her on, but they both refused. He could put her in a few other roles, but they're massive demotions and dead end as well. Best case, she would become an Ambassador."

Harry laughed. "I have other plans for her, but that's a good idea."

Draco continued, "There's a rumour that the Wizengamot is trying to change laws and label anyone who cannot use a wand as a Squib." Seeing Harry's lack of a response, he added, "That means YOU Harry. As a Squib, you can't take the Lordship of either the Potter Family or the Black Family."

Harry suddenly realised how sneaky this was. "Good move. Luckily, I've already registered for plenty of 'wand' OWLs."

Draco nodded, then turned serious. "Harry, I think she may have been the one to send the Dementors after you. She already has the Inquisitors tracking you, and you really don't want to get caught by them. There's a reason Dumbledore set you up with Bell and McLaggen."

Harry nodded, "I figured. Well, I'm not worried. It's their funeral if they try." Literally.

"Don't do anything stupid." Despite himself, Draco was worried for him.

After a long minute, Harry asked, "Draco, what was up with you and Granger?"

"After being your keeper, I felt I owed her an apology."

Harry laughed. There was truth in that. "GIT."

Draco laughed too. "I'll never forget you scaring the pants off of McGonagall yesterday."

Harry agreed, "That was one of my finer moments. Tomorrow, I get to meet with her again for my career advice. What a pain in the rear. Shouldn't they do this before we choose electives?"

Draco looked confused for a minute. "They do. They did." He then guessed, "You were probably in the Hospital Ward."

Harry huffed, "Typical."

— **Dance of Death 34—**

**Hogwarts**

**Minerva McGonagall's Office**

**June 10, 1996**

**Monday 8AM**

Harry left his Familiar with Dobby and headed to his Career Advice session. He was getting good at the 'Anonymous Charm' as a way of easily getting around Hogwarts. Even with Katie escorting him, he wouldn't be noticed. Katie looked tired, but happy. Harry noted a few of the Inquisitors looking about and assumed they were looking for him. Yeah, they had plans. Well, he did too.

Entering McGonagall's Office, Harry noted it looked the same as the last time he was here. Both his solicitor and Umbridge were there as well as McGonagall. The office was not large enough for this many people so close together.

Harry pointed to Umbridge, "Why is **she** here?"

Professor McGonagall seemed a bit embarrassed, "In her capacity as High Inquisitor, Professor Umbridge will be evaluating this session."

Harry looked at his solicitor, the man slightly tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. Apparently, this wasn't illegal.

Harry sat an enchanted mat down that made sitting easier with the thorns. Once in place, he sat down. "So, let's get this over with. How do we do this?"

Umbridge shook her head and jotted down some notes. Like he cared.

McGonagall started. "We apparently never met at the end of your second year. You were being treated for Basilisk Venom exposure." Umbridge huffed and mumbled something about lies and falsehoods.

Harry smiled and responded before McGonagall could continue. "Yes, when the school tried to steal my Basilisk. I believe you were saying something about expelling me. Or maybe that was a different year. They all blur together."

McGonagall shifted a bit in her seat. "Be that as it may, let's focus on the here and now. With your inability to use magic, I've taken the liberty of outlining several viable professions. Your grades were high enough that I feel certain you will excel in any of them."

Harry looked over the list. It was more like a small book. The woman had put quite a bit of time into this. She must be feeling guilty… Good. Most of the listed careers were in academia and tutoring, none were magic dependent. He had intended to crumple it up in her face but stopped. These were jobs a Squib or Near-Squib would kill for.

"Professor, do the Squibs and Near-Squibs get any kind of career advice?" Harry could tell right away that they did not. "Can I get copies of this? I want to make sure the other home-schooled students with low levels of magic see these opportunities."

"Hem-hem" Umbridge got their attention with that damn throat clearing. "Perhaps we should focus on **you** , Mr. Potter."

Harry smiled. "Oh, I don't need this. I have plenty of money. I'm also the Heir of an Ancient and Most Noble house. Something I fully intend to make the most of."

Professor McGonagall asserted herself and asked, "How so, Mr. Potter?" She seemed bothered that her work had been tossed aside.

"I intend to spend the next year studying up on what a Lord can and cannot do at 17. In thirteen months, I'll claim my lordship and I'll use every bit of my influence to make everyone who ever crossed me pay dearly." Harry then turned to Umbridge, "Did you know that at seventeen years old, a Lord cannot actually take up their Wizengamot seat, but they can call a Blood Feud?"

Umbridge faltered a moment, then said, "Laws can be changed."

Harry laughed. He laughed as intentionally rudely as he could. "Not for me. All changes to Ancient and Noble and _Most_ Noble families are generational. That means, I'm already grandfathered in." Giving it a bit more thought, he added, "And those changes are not something easily accomplished. Especially by someone without a title."

McGonagall interrupted, "Mr. Potter, if you are not interested in career advice, perhaps it would be better to end it now. Before we say anything that we may regret."

"Here is your schedule for taking the OWLs." Professor McGonagall then pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to him. "I was very surprised to see you signed up for so many…"

Umbridge interrupted, "Why has Mr. Potter signed up for some of these OWLs? You need magic to take these." She was looking flustered.

Harry shrugged, "I can take the written portion and still earn an OWL. You see, even if I get a failing score on the practical, it probably can't reduce a written grade of 'Outstanding' below an Acceptable. I just need to make a few sparks." With a smirk, Harry added, "We wouldn't want anyone labelling me as a Squib, now would we?"

Umbridge looked visibly shaken. Based on what Draco had told him, this would seriously disrupt her plans to prevent him from becoming a Lord.

Harry rose. "Thank you, Professor McGonagall. I'll hold on to these jobs. Please send over copies to the Home School students before they leave. No one seems to be looking out for them. They could use a little… hope."

Without any further thought, Harry turned and left. Mr. Felder quickly joined him.

"Heir Black, that was… interesting. I assume you know how much you rattled the High Inquisitor."

Harry nodded, "I'm counting on it, Mr. Felder."

Harry noted how happy his solicitor looked. He was the perfect person to defend him when the cards all fell into place. Evil Bastard.

— **Dance of Death 34—**

**June 10, Monday**

**After his Career Advice**

That morning, Harry took the Charms written exam, followed by the practical in the afternoon. His mother was a Charms prodigy, so he knew it was an easy Outstanding. The entire room was shocked to see him effortlessly casting magic with his wand. He hated giving it back to Madam Marchbanks, but Mr. Felder couldn't find a way around this. For extra credit on the practical, he recast all the charms from the practical test silently and with abbreviated wand movements. He could have easily passed his NEWT in this subject with an Outstanding.

— **DoD—**

**June 11 Tuesday**

The next day had Harry taking the Transfiguration exam. He would have been able to easily pass this one, but his father was as good at Transfiguration as his mother was at Charms. He had passed on enough extra knowledge to make the exam a cakewalk. For the extra credit on the practical, Harry made a permanent transfiguration of a working clock. It was fully functional and seemed to keep time. It might lose an hour or so each day, but it still worked. All the practical testing was silently cast with abbreviated wand movements. Harry knew it would be an easy 'Outstanding'. Again, he could have just as easily excelled on the NEWT exam.

Cormac had re-joined Katie and was very relieved that Harry didn't bring his Familiar along to the exams. As much as Harry preferred just being with Katie, he was glad she would have someone watching her back. The Inquisitors seemed to always be watching him… Attacking Katie would make a lot of sense and Harry decided to watch her on the map whenever she was out and about.

— **DoD—**

**June 12 Wednesday**

The Herbology exam was harder. His lack of studying showed, and he thought he might have an Acceptable. His practical was easier, given his affinity with plant life. Harry didn't ace either of the exams, but that would be fine. He felt certain he would at least get an Acceptable. Working with soil and plants was calming, and he enjoyed it.

That night, Harry was pleased to hear that Professor McGonagall had distributed the jobs listing for the 'magically impaired'. She had doubled the number of options on the list as it was no longer set up with Harry in mind. Many of the students were overjoyed to have this list and it was clear how few thought they could ever enjoy a reasonably successful career. Harry couldn't help but wonder why nothing like this had been done before.

— **DoD—**

**June 13 Thursday**

The Defence Against the Dark Arts testing took place on Thursday. Harry knew this was his best subject and he absolutely killed it. For his extra credit, he cast a massive Patronus. The entire room stopped what they were doing to look at the magnificent creation. Madame Marchbanks reached out to touch it. It was incorporeal, but you could feel 'something' when you passed your hand through it. Warmth and happiness radiated from the Patronus in a way that was hard to describe. A few of the older members of the testing committee came over to observe. When Harry returned his wand, Madam Marchbanks apologised for having to collect it.

— **DoD—**

**June 14 Friday**

The week wrapped up with the Ancient Runes testing on Friday. As much as Harry loved Ancient Runes, he was disappointed with the level of depth in the OWL exam. The Gringotts Curse-Breaker exam was higher than NEWT level and he had managed a remarkably high score. The written portion in the morning felt almost insulting in its simplicity. It also was primarily focused on Celtic and Norse runes. Well, it was designed for people who had only three years of moderate training. Harry had been in training since childhood.

Harry walked through the practical in the afternoon and received extra credit by setting up a ward stone on the fly. He also discussed runic arrangements and combinations from other parts of the world that accomplish similar results as the Runes in the Hogwarts curriculum. This was good fun and Harry wished he could just focus on Runes, Charms, DADA, and Transfiguration.

As the exam wrapped up, he was met by Katie and Cormac and they escorted him to the Great Hall for dinner. Thinking about next week, Potions would be easy… He should be able to get a solid 'Outstanding'. Astronomy and Muggle Studies should be easy 'Acceptable' or 'Exceed Expectations' grades. Care of Magical Creatures was going to be a challenge. He knew how to kill most creatures, but not how to 'care' for them. His father had passed on rudimentary knowledge and he had thought he might pass. But he hadn't really studied Divination. At all.

Neither of his parents had taken Divination, so he was working from zero. He only signed up for it because he promised his mum that he'd investigate it. Admittedly, it was not his brightest decision. He should have just asked to audit it or get private tutoring. Maybe he could fake it… Like Ron brags about doing. Predict a bunch of people's deaths. There'd also be a written portion… if he knew what books to read, he could cram it over the weekend. He just needed a little direction. He knew right where to get it. Two students that didn't sign the Eiectio or wear those Tri-Wizard buttons.

— **DoD—**

Harry approached Lavender and Parvati in the Great Hall. They both seemed extremely uncomfortable around him. Harry was somewhat used to this. Between the things the Prophet was saying, the thorns all over his body, his unexpected performance on his Defence OWLs, and the fact that he now had a Runespoor for a familiar… He just made people nervous.

"Hi Lavender. Parvati. Do you two have a minute?" With a little luck he could keep this short.

"Sure, Harry." Lavender seemed nervous. Parvati was quietly looking at a book. Her eyes weren't moving, and the pages weren't turning.

Harry placed the enchanted mat down on the bench and had a seat. "So… I was wondering if you can help me with something." God, they look nervous.

Lavender shifted a bit and asked, "What do you need, Harry?" Still no eye contact.

"Lavender, I don't bite. Why are you guys acting like this?"

Neither girl said anything. This was extremely awkward.

Parvati finally spoke. "You have a Runespoor. You're covered in thorns like a monster. Everyone thought you didn't have magic, but you do. It all just seems strange."

Harry took a deep breath. "My Familiar is extremely sweet and affectionate. Runespoors get a bad rap because they have three heads. The thorns are the result of a Dementor attack, and they are _**quite**_ painful. I must sit on a mat and sleep on one too. It's awful. Yes, my magic has healed up, but that's a good thing. Right?" What the hell was their problem?

Lavender finally made eye contact, "Are you going to attack us?"

Harry finally understood. They were afraid. "No. Some people deserve it, but not you two." Did they ever do anything to him? It feels like last year was an eternity ago. He honestly never gave these two a second thought. They just seemed kind of flaky.

After another uncomfortable moment, Harry asked, "I need a book to study for my Divination OWL. A basic overview so I can pass the written part. I don't even have to pass, just something that won't look too bad."

Lavender looked at him like he was crazy, "You think Divination is just some kind of a joke? Something you can learn in a couple of days?"

"Well, someone I respect thinks I may be gifted and… well, yeah. I don't need to be great, just not a Troll. Maybe a 'Poor' or a Dreadful."

Silence.

Lavender looked intensely at him. "If we do this, will you stop being so mean?"

Harry wasn't sure what she meant. "I haven't been mean to either of you."

Parvati spoke again, "Well, you haven't been _nice_." After a moment she added, "Your Aura is full of malice and anger."

Lavender added, "You look at everyone like you hate us all."

Harry grimaced. "Very well, if you point me in the right direction, I'll be _nice_." Was he really doing that? So what if he was, they had it coming.

Lavender looked like she was slowly unwinding. "Do you mean it, Harry? I know you're still mad, but you'll be nice to us?"

"I haven't been mean. But yes, I'll be _nicer_." After a minute, Harry said, "Good lord, just give me the damn book."

Lavender cracked a smile. She wrote it down on a piece of paper. "You'll have to go to 'Tomes and Scrolls' in Hogsmeade, but they should have it."

"Thanks, Lavender."

Harry looked at the title, 'Understanding the Third Eye'. "And you think this can get me a 'D' or a 'P'?" The title alone seemed questionable.

"It covers the basics and it's an easy read." After a second, she asked, "So, who thinks you have the gift?"

Thinking fast, Harry said, "A friend of my mothers."

Parvati grinned, "Why does she think you're gifted?" Harry noted that she was looking at him the way Hermione looks at a new book.

Harry suppressed a groan. "I can usually tell when I'm about to be attacked. At first, I could just feel the magic build up, but, then it seemed to… I don't know. It started last year when I kept getting attacked. It's probably nothing." He said he'd be nicer… nice, nice, nice, and nicer.

Lavender exchanged an odd look with Parvati. "Harry, we have a Divination study session Tuesday night at seven. You _**have**_ to come."

Harry suddenly understood what it felt like to be a deer in the road, staring at oncoming headlights.

Harry shifted about, "Well, I told Draco we would hang out… and my guardian's in town…"

Parvati huffed, "Draco's a PRAT. How can you be so mad at everyone else and forgive _**him**_? If you really have _**the gift**_ , you need to be around other enlightened spirits." She then pursed her lips. "You said you'd be nicer."

Lavender added, "We can help you prepare. For your exam."

"Fine." Thinking a minute, he added, "But I'm bringing my Familiar."

Parvati and Lavender both gasped. Harry always considered Lavender and Parvati a pair of flaky drama queens. But at least they were being nice.

"Don't worry, she's actually really sweet. I promise she won't bite." Then he added, "Hey, I don't need a crystal ball or anything, do I?"

Lavender recovered and said, "No. Meet us outside the Gryffindor common room at six forty-five."

At that point Katie approached him. "Alright sport, Cormac and I are ready to head back, so we're taking you to back to your dorm." Harry saw Draco approaching as well. Why couldn't they have arrived three minutes sooner?

"Lead on."

As they departed, Harry turned and saw Lavender hold up six fingers, then four, then five. He gave her a little nod. Message received, 6:45. Tuesday.

— **DoD—**

That night, lying in bed, Harry was still bothered by his discussion with Lavender and Parvati. They acted like he was the bad guy. How the hell did they figure that? They had seemed so… sincere. Neither of them was capable of subterfuge…

"Draco? Do you think I'm the bad guy here?"

"Yes. I'm trying to sleep and you're talking."

Harry laughed. "One of the Gryffindor's said I was being mean. They were afraid I'd attack them."

"Well, they had it coming, right? I mean, the whole Declaration of Eiectio… You're not the bad guy."

Harry still wondered. "Then why do they think I am? I'm the one that was wronged."

ARRRRR. "Because you do that 'Dead Face' thing and the way you only talk to about five people. Honestly, you may not be the bad guy, but you sure as hell act like the guy looking to get even. Now can we _**please**_ get some sleep?"

"But, they have it coming, right?"

There was a long silence, then Draco answered. "Well, yes. But… You're gearing up for a war, right? Do you really want to fight it alone?" There was no sarcasm in the tone.

Harry quietly answered, "Good Point." It was so quiet, Draco almost didn't hear him.

Draco's tone had softened considerably. "Harry, things will seem better in the morning. Just… Try to focus on what matters."

"Right. Good night, Draco."

Draco laughed softly. "It will be if you'd stop talking."

After a long pause, "Good night, Harry."

— **DoD—**

**Notes**

**I had hoped to Deal with Umbridge in this chapter, but at 12K words I'm only halfway there. I'll keep writing and it should be ready in a few more days. I want to do these two weeks at Hogwarts justice. I'm sorry for the delay and I hope the chapters are worth the wait. I also want to define a few key points around Home Schooling. I live in an area where home schooling is supported, and most people would be shocked at how organised and effective it is. I really don't see it as a negative. To me, Home Schooling is just another option and one that makes good sense in a Wizarding World. Also, a good set of tutors can easily match an institutional education. But it is different. I also imagine many parents in the wouldn't want to send their eleven-year-old away to boarding school.**

**I especially wanted to cover Harry's odd friendship with Draco. I'm shocked at how easy it is to write Draco and Harry dialog. Draco is in many ways the straight man, but he can dish it out too. His apology to Hermione was something I almost didn't do, but I can see him wanting to clear the air now that they are both in Harry's 'orbit.' He also has a newfound respect for her after trying to corral Harry Potter. It's at least a 50% Slytherin move. Let me know your thoughts.**

**Next Chapter = Comeuppance Part 2**


	35. Chapter 35

— **Dance of Death 35—**

**Please Read:** **The chapter was topping out at over 20K words, so I split it again. I don't think many people want to read 20K word chapters, so I broke it in half at a good point. Sorry. I promise to post the final piece (Comeuppance part 3) within 72 hours.**

**In the last chapter, Harry had come to Hogwarts and began taking his exams. His Runespoor Familiar refused to be left behind and had joined Harry on his trip to Hogwarts. To keep his emotions under control, Harry has been practicing a form of Occlumency that blocked off his emotions but made him appear emotionless. Draco had taken to calling it his 'Dead Face'. Between the thorns, the Runespoor, and his 'Dead Face' most of the other students were a bit nervous around Harry.**

**Harry had been making subtle threats to Dolores Umbridge and the woman was extremely nervous and afraid of what Harry would do when he turned seventeen. Her concern was that Harry would ruin her with the declaration of a Blood Feud. She was determined to prevent that and was looking for an opportunity to get Harry alone. Harry had been taunting her at every opportunity and he planned to seek revenge. Keeping her on edge was part of his plan to goad her into making a mistake.**

**Concerned about Harry seeking revenge, Dumbledore had limited Harry's access to his wand. Currently, Harry only had access to it during his practical tests. Accepting the reality of this, Harry had asked his lawyer to apply for a 'wand permit'. Dumbledore had also assigned a pair of sixth year prefects to escort Harry around. Katie Bell and Cormac McLaggen escorted Harry around the castle whenever he left his dorms. They were equal parts protection and insurance to prevent Harry from getting into any trouble. Harry's situational awareness training with Remus and Tonks allowed him to notice and track the many 'Inquisitors that are watching and following him.**

**The first week of testing was excellent, but the next week had subjects he hadn't prepared well for and promised to be particularly challenging. Nervous about his Divination OWL and not wanting to get a 'Troll' grade, Harry asked Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil for advice on a study guide. During the awkward conversation, Harry learnt that most students were nervous around him and think he'd planned to attack them. In a conversation with Draco, Harry realised he may have to adopt a less angry demeanour.**

**Note:** **The will reading was six months ago and Harry and Draco have been living in the same house. They've had 6 months to work through any issues they had. Terms of the contracts signed were loyalty (no end date) and a return of the** _**liquid** _ **assets of the Malfoy vault lost in the duel (after 3 years of service). The properties and non-liquid assets that Lucius was selling off to appease Voldemort were bought up primarily by Sirius and those would not be returned. The vault content belonging to Bellatrix Lestrange would also not be returned.**

**The Malfoys would be affluent at the end of the three years, but not filthy rich like before. That would take a few generations of good investments. The Malfoy family was now a cadet family to the Blacks. Given the loyalty contracts, it made sense for the house of Black to want them to be prosperous enough to support their allies.**

**Why wouldn't Draco be a little bitter that Harry is now and for the next three years holding what's left of his family's vault? Well, at the rate Voldemort was burning through the Malfoy estate, they would have been destitute within a year. Voldemort was irritated when he found out about a certain diary being destroyed. This whole scenario could have gone a lot worse for them. Sirius would have let them burn. Was Harry too forgiving? Maybe. But he'll come out better for it.**

— **DoD—**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.**

**FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories. The Ritual of Thorns and Oakheart are two examples.**

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

**Chapter 35: Comeuppance part 2**

**Hogwarts**

**June 15 Saturday**

Harry woke up early and performed a few exercises. Due to the thorns, he was limited in what he could do, especially when away from his gym at Grimmauld Place. Push-ups, squats, lunges, and a few 'plank' type exercises would just have to do. Afterwards, he showered and cleaned up. He left his spell matrices alone for now. They contained a Shield charm, Elemental spears, Piercing charm, the 'Anonymous' charm, Disillusionment, Cutting, and a special Charm just for the right moment. He wished he had a few more matrices, but that would take time.

He and Draco dressed in silence and went to wait for their 'escort'. Katie and McLaggen met them and escorted the two teens to the carriages for Hogsmeade. Draco hadn't spoken much, but Harry knew he bristled at having to be escorted about whenever he was with Harry. The two were going to meet Andromeda and Narcissa for a few light-hearted hours between study sessions.

Harry took a minute and addressed his escorts, "Hey, guys… I plan to meet up with my guardian and my Lawyer while in Hogsmeade, so you guys are off the hook."

McLaggen rolled his eyes. "Not really. The Headmaster made it clear we were to stick to you like glue. Whether we want to or not."

Katie added, "He's worried someone will attack you, Harry. Like last year."

Harry grimaced. He hated last year. "He's probably also worried I'll attack someone." Both escorts just looked down, confirming his suspicions. Time to fix his image a little. "I'm not going to attack anyone. Well, unless I'm attacked." He didn't say it, but he was counting on it.

Cormac nodded, "Maybe if we stay with you until you meet with your guardians. But you need to meet us when you're done so we can head back together." Made sense. Cormac was a logical person, even if he was arrogant.

Harry looked at Katie a minute, then added, "I don't know if you guys have noticed, but Umbridge's Inquisitors have been watching and following me. I wouldn't put it past them to attack either one of you. To get to me…"

Katie gave a half smile. "We know, Harry. The notes you've been sending the study group have been excellent. We've actually be using the last week to observe how they act when they're watching you."

Harry was a bit relieved to hear they were being careful. "Just be careful."

Cormac asked, "Why won't Dumbledore give you your wand? Everyone has heard about your OWLs and how good you were with it."

Harry shook his head, "He's using the fact that I don't have a 'wand permit' to keep it away from me."

Katie asked, "But why?"

Draco chimed in, "He's afraid Harry will do to Umbridge what she did to Hedwig. Honestly, the vile woman deserves it." The malice in Draco's voice was a bit off putting. Harry realised it had to do with Astoria. He was worried.

Harry's new Familiar put her head out of 'her' bag. Artemis asked, _"§ what did she do §?"_ Her sisters waited for an answer, but Harry just looked away. The Runespoor's heads looked at each other and slowly realised what happened.

Hecate said, _"§ I'm sorry Harry. We'll avenge your bird §."_

Artemis asked, _"§ Can you tell us who did it? With a description? §"_

Selene agreed. _"§ We need a description. I wish humans had patterns. Your thorns make it easy, Harry, but most of your friends all look so similar. §"_

Harry smiled, _"§ It was the one in Pink. The one who climbed up the chair. But you guys don't have to do anything, I've got this. §"_

Looking up, Harry realised everyone was staring at him. "Sorry. My girls didn't know much about Hedwig."

After a minute or two, Cormac just came out and asked, "Harry, all this Parseltongue and thorns… Acting like you want to fight everyone… What's going on?"

Harry had half expected this. "The thorns were not planned, and they are not fun. But they're temporary. Parseltongue is just a language and it lets me talk to my Familiar." Harry decided to just get it all out there. "I'm still pissed about last year, but who wouldn't be? No, I'm not going to go and attack everyone, but… How would you feel, Cormac? If you had gone through what I went through? Would you be friendly?"

Cormac tightened his lips a bit, "I get it. Whether you want to hear it or not, we all regret last year. If makes a difference, most of us agree that he's back and we plan to fight. Not all of us, but most."

Harry was quiet after that. For a good five minutes. Then he finally broke the silence as they approached Hogsmeade.

"It does make a difference." Harry noted the tension in the carriage seemed to dissipate. "But I'm still pissed."

Cormac pressed on. "Why were you nice to Lavender and Parvati? They said you're all friends again. Why them?"

What the hell? It was just like those two to gossip away. What else had they said?

Harry clenched his teeth. "They're helping me prepare for my Divination exam." His emotions got the better of him and he added, "And neither one of them signed that damn Eiectio! Or wore one of those 'Potter Stinks' buttons!"

Cormac pointed angrily at Draco, " **That's** the GIT that made the buttons! He was giving them out to _everyone_!" Cormac was showing his frustrations and tensions high again. Draco just turned away.

Katie pulled Cormac's hand down. "Cormac, stop. Just… **stop**." The silence was deafening.

Harry listened carefully to the sounds coming from his bag. He was coming to enjoy the zany way his Familiar spoke. All of them speaking at the same time. If it was just background noise.

" _§ I wish someone would tell us what's going on. §" "§ Do you think Harry will 'Magic' that big guy? §" "§ What are those buttons they keep talking about? §" "§ Why do the girl humans have such different shoes? §" "§ Draco looks sad. §" "§ Maybe we can find a way to give Harry patterns. §" …_

As the carriage came to a halt, Harry saw Andromeda, Narcissa, Mr. Felder, Bill, and Ginny.

Seeing Ginny lightened Harry's mood considerably. He really needed to get away from Cormac. Before he did something he'd almost certainly regret.

Draco spoke up, "Let's meet up here at 3:00PM. That gives us five hours."

Everyone agreed.

— **DoD—**

**Hogsmeade**

**The Three Broomsticks**

**Lunch**

Hermione and Neville were still studying and declined a visit to Hogsmeade. That was fine, Harry wanted to meet privately with a smaller group. He hadn't interacted much with Hermione and Neville, other than a bit at lunch. Everyone was in heads down test mode. Afraid to break concentration. They'd have time to catch up later. Perhaps over the summer.

Harry was sitting in a private dining room with his family and enjoying the last bite of a Shepherd's pie. It was good, but not as good as 'Bell's'. Mr. Felder had just confirmed that the wand licence was real, but it was an obscure law that was all but forgotten. He had put in Harry's application, but apparently the Ministry didn't even know how to process it. Clearly Dumbledore had outmanoeuvred them.

Harry occasionally listened in to his Familiar when she was chatty. Right now, the sisters were chatting away about all kinds of different topics. Occasionally, they'd poke a head out to see what was going on, but they thought all this talk was boring. Mostly, they just stayed tucked away sharing their thoughts on everything they had seen. They were safe in the bag he had enchanted and warded.

Ginny had shared her summer plans with Harry and was holding her dragon hide gloved hand. She intended to get ahead on Runes and Arithmancy. She had also written and asked for permission to practice Quidditch at Hogwarts over the summer. If the Burrow were too exposed, at least the school would be a safe place. She thought Katie would be the captain next year and hoped Harry would re-join the team. It was very comforting. He knew his Quidditch days were nearly over. It took too much time and he couldn't sit right on a broom with all the thorns. Still, it was nice to know that she was thinking about him.

Bill had re-instated Harry's apprenticeship and he was once more a novice curse-breaker. Harry sneered a bit but accepted it. The Goblins were only nice when they have something to gain. On the bright side, he loved being a curse-breaker and hanging out with Bill. Maybe they could travel again next year.

After more small talk and pleasantries, Harry and Draco shared their overall performance on the week's exams. Apparently, not having social distractions had helped both boys in their exams. Harry of course had the knowledge passed down from two brilliant parents, but Draco had also done very well. Always one of the top students, this year was looking to be one of his best, academically speaking.

Andromeda then addressed both boys, "One of your tutors, Professor Slughorn, is considering an offer to leave his retirement and teach once more. He had asked if you two are available on Monday evening for a small get together. Seeing as your Potion's exam is Monday, that might be acceptable. Assuming of course that you're ready for your exams the next day."

Harry looked at Draco who just shrugged.

Harry liked Professor Slughorn. "That should be fine. But, speaking of Tuesday, I need to pick up a book. I have a Divination study session Tuesday evening and I'd rather not get a 'Troll' on my Divination exam. Maybe we can pick it up after lunch."

Everyone at the table was looking at him oddly. Like he had suddenly started speaking Egyptian or something.

Narcissa was the first to speak, "Are you gifted in Divination, Hadrian?"

Harry started to shrug, but with Narcissa Malfoy, that would be almost insulting. She was so uptight…

"Perhaps. I've been advised that some of my combat timing hints at the gift." She had asked him to call her Aunt Narcissa, but he wasn't there yet. He just avoided using her name all together.

Bill suddenly caught on, "Right. I actually hadn't considered that." Bill stopped drinking his ale when he heard this.

Andromeda interrupted, "William, please explain to the rest of us…?"

Bill set his tankard of ale down, "Harry frequently reacts to attacks before they're made. We assumed he was sensing the build-up of magic before the attack. But this makes more sense. He reacts similarly even to non-magical attacks."

Harry added, "I do sense the build-up of magic, but I'm kind of _**alerted**_ to start sensing it. Otherwise, I'd be sensing everything all the time. It's like an alert or a trigger of sorts. With non-magical attacks, I just go with my gut. It's not very well defined. It works better when I'm not focused."

Draco shook his head, "What, now you're a seer? And how do you use it in combat without focusing? That's not…" Narcissa put her hand on Draco's arm and he stopped talking.

Harry thought a moment. "Combat is not like what we do in class. You just sort of relax into it. No, not relax… that'll get you killed. You just listen to your gut and _**react**_ into it. You immerse yourself in combat. Thinking works in a duel, but not on a battlefield. I learned that the hard way last year. Remember the courtyard? I was focused intently about talking to Cedric. Too intently."

Everyone knew about the courtyard.

Andromeda asked what most were thinking, "Why take the OWL, Harry? We could have gotten you a private tutor."

Harry groaned, "I don't know. It was a last-minute decision and I regret it now. I can't even hold tarot cards without scratching them up. Honestly, I don't care if I fail, but I need to get better than a Troll, or that'll be something that follows me." It was his pride.

Bill spoke up, "Harry, your eyes are glowing." Bill always pointed that out in hopes that Harry would get control of it. It seemed to be triggered by Harry's use of magic or when he was emotional. "We really need to enchant your glasses to hide that."

Draco laughed. "Why bother? Everyone saw it when you summoned the Patronus. Then you made the pocket watch." Draco amusingly added, "It keeps awful time, by the way."

Narcissa looked horrified and was about to correct her son when Harry and Draco both started laughing.

Bill laughed too and added, "Hey, you should stop winding it." When that got an odd look from both teens, he added, "That way it'll be right twice a day." Everyone laughed at that.

Mr. Felder had been noticeably quiet. He chose that moment to ask, "May I see the watch?"

Harry produced it. He enjoyed carrying it around. He left the one his parents gave him at Grimmauld Place… he didn't want to scratch it up with his thorns.

Mr Felder opened it up and peered at it. He took his own wand and examined it in detail. "Very nice work. The tension spring is off, but other than that…" He then did something to the tension spring. It glowed softly for a moment. "There. My uncle was a clock smith." He handed it back to Harry.

Harry wound it up and handed it back to his solicitor. "Consider this a gift. For having faith in me."

Mr. Felder happily accepted the watch. "Thank you, Heir Black. I will treasure this." He meant it, too.

Harry looked back at Andromeda. "Do you think Professor Slughorn would mind if I brought Ginny with me to the Dinner?" Looking at Ginny, he said, "We never had out Valentine's dinner and this should be fun." Ginny looked to be extremely happy with the suggestion. "Draco, you should bring a date, too."

Draco seemed to like the idea. They both liked Professor Slughorn.

Andromeda smiled. Harry was certain he had near perfect scores on most of his OWLs. Charms, Transfiguration, Defence were commonly referred to as the 'big three'. Ancient Runes and Arithmancy were important for anything academic, but the 'big three' always garnered respect. Divination was a surprise… she'd have to find someone who could help him develop that. The art of Divination was the mark of high magic, but it was hard to define and understand. Strange that it was only now coming out. Assuming it even existed at all. Academics aside, it was good to see a bit of happiness in Harry, her… ward? She felt remarkably close to Harry. He was so much like her own daughter. Harry didn't just feel like a ward or her future head of House. He was more. He was family.

Narcissa enjoyed seeing how well her son got along with the next Lord Black. Glowing eyes… she remembered Bella dreamily talking about a different Dark Lord and how she wished she had been born sooner. To see his gorgeous glowing emerald eyes. To fight by his side. The next Lord Black… Had his mother's eyes. And his grandfather's.

The Weasley girl would have to go, she could never be Lady Black. Ginevra's manners were atrocious, and Hadrian seemed to regress around her, but Cissy knew Andi would deal with that. In her own time. No one was as subtle as Andi when it came to these things. Narcissa was so glad to be re-united with her older sister. The one with her sanity intact. The House of Black was on the rise. The House of Malfoy was attached.

Bill began thinking about the last few years. Harry developed that… danger sense last year while he was regularly attacked, but it had gotten a stronger since the Horcrux had been removed. He knew Harry occasionally had visions attached to Voldemort, but how much was the Horcrux and how much might have been Divinatory in nature. A little of both, perhaps? It explained a lot. It could be extremely helpful if he pursued a curse-breaker career. Assuming they won the coming war.

As the meal wrapped up, Harry asked, "This has been great, but I really need to get back to my studies. Can we go to Tomes and Scrolls now?"

— **DoD—**

**Hogsmeade**

**Tomes and Scrolls**

**1:00 PM**

Bill had to take Ginny home and discuss the dinner invitation with their parents. Ginny was extremely excited to go to a formal Dinner party with Harry. She had already started making plans to get her hair done and a new set of dress robes. Draco on the other hand did not want Astoria anywhere near the school. He was still nervous about whatever Harry had 'planned-but-not-planned' for Umbridge and her Inquisitors.

Andromeda and Harry were looking through the shelves in the 'Divination' section. Narcissa and Draco decided to stay a bit longer at the Three Broomsticks and catch up. As Harry located the book he was looking for, he noted it was rather ostentatious. It was medium sized and would take him a few days to get through.

A quavering and raspy voice behind him said, "The third eye… perhaps they should name it the _first_ eye. Or maybe the short-sighted eye." Harry turned to see a tiny and incredibly old witch looking at him. Staring and smiling. "You have your mother's eyes, Harry Potter."

Snapping out of his gaze, "You knew my mother?" remembering his manners, Harry introduced himself. "My name is Harry Potter… But you already know that."

She smiled and her wrinkled face suddenly developed a hundred more wrinkles. "My name is Penelope McKinnon. I knew your sweet mother well. She often came to my shop."

Harry wanted to know more, but he was still careful. "Is this your shop, Madam McKinnon?"

The frail old lady wheezed and laughed, "No, no. My shop has long since retired. I simply got too old to keep it." Her eyes seemed kind and warm. "It was a smaller bookstore. It specialised in used and unusual books. I've always been a bit of an obsessive bargain hunter. "

Andromeda approached, "Madam McKinnon. It's so good to see you."

The old lady leaned forward and squinted. "I hope that's Andromeda and not the crazy one."

Andromeda faltered a moment. "Yes, it's Andromeda. Hadrian is my ward."

"Hadrian… Harry. That makes sense. Your father was quite the rascal, young man. Always bothering my Lily. Then she decided she _liked it_ when he bothered her." More wheezing and laughing followed. "You seem so much like her. You look like him… but I see her. Not just in the eyes either. The thorns are… different. Come, sit." She turned and walked toward a table.

Harry rushed over and helped her into the chair. Then he did the same with Andromeda.

"Manners matter in a young Wizard." She was still looking fondly at him.

Harry wasn't sure what to say. "Yes ma'am."

Andromeda asked, "How have you been Madam McKinnon?"

She pursed her lips. "Old. Frail. I visit relatives from time to time. But not McKinnon's. I'm the last."

There was an uncomfortable silence. They all knew what had happened to the McKinnon family. Harry's mother's incarnation had filled him in, and Andromeda remembered it. The terrible end to a once strong and proud family.

The old lady took Harry's divination book. "Let's see here." Her arthritic fingers seemed to have no problem with the pages.

"The introduction is a waste of time." Riiiiiip.

Harry gasped. Andromeda slightly shook her head at him. This woman was helping him.

"Chapter one isn't bad. Chapter two is basic." She folded down a few pages. "Pay attention to these pages. And please, _**never**_ treat a **real** book the way I'm treating this… fluff."

"Chapter three and four are self-serving. Waste of a good tree." Riiiiiip.

"Chapter five is inaccurate. Perhaps it was written by clowns." Riiiiiip.

This continued another five minutes until the discarded pages were taller than the pages left in the book. Madame McKinnon looked up from her work and smiled. "There." She handed the remains back to Harry.

Harry took the book and noted it was far lighter. She had destroyed his book before he even had a chance to buy it. Let alone read it. Still, Andromeda seemed to defer to the woman.

Harry politely said. "Thank you, Madam McKinnon."

She laughed again in her sad and wheezing way. "Yes. Trust me young man, I did you a favour. What's left is the basics that will be covered on your OWL exam." Scrunching her face up, she thought for a moment. "I'll send you a book to get you beyond the ground floor. If you _really_ want to know about Divination."

Harry smiled politely. "Yes ma'am. That would be nice. I'll be glad to pay you for it."

The old lady looked intently at him. "Mr. Potter, the man who murdered my family still walks. I trust you will deal with him. That is payment enough."

"Yes ma'am." Harry wondered if she meant Voldemort or Snape. Or was there someone else? It didn't matter. Harry intended to find and punish all Voldemort's followers. Or die trying.

"I see you have a little friend…" She was pointing to Harry's bag. The three 'girls' were poking their heads out and looking about. To Harry's amazement, the old lady didn't seem concerned.

Before Harry could respond, she said, "Let me share a few stories about your parents."

— **DoD—**

Over an hour later, Harry and Andromeda were heading back to the Three Broomsticks to check on Draco and Narcissa. They had helped Madam McKinnon to a carriage that would see her safely home. Harry paid for his 'abbreviated' book and picked up the last witch weekly for his Familiar. It seemed thicker than normal. His girls could look at the pictures. Based on overheard conversations, one of them was constantly talking about people's shoes.

Andromeda had Harry apply his 'Anonymous' charm before they set off. He was thankful he forgot to use it in the store, otherwise he would never have met Madam McKinnon. She had shared some unbelievably beautiful stories from a perspective that his parent's incarnations couldn't ever share.

Andromeda described Madam McKinnon on their walk. "Penelope McKinnon was one of the most respected collectors and distributers of rare books. Like many of the McKinnon's she has an eidetic memory. When she sends you the book she offered, make sure you write a nice letter back. If it's from her personal library, it will be both rare and valuable."

Harry was still amazed at the stories she had shared. "When she first looked at you… she mentioned…"

Andromeda raised one eyebrow. "Bellatrix. We used to look terribly similar. Likely, that's no longer the case." As they walked, she pointed to a closed-up storefront. It was still well maintained, but clearly empty. "That was Madam McKinnon's establishment."

"Did you ever visit her store?"

"No, Harry. It was by invitation only. I have no idea how your mother had gotten an invitation. Your Headmaster would have given up his lemon drops for a visit. So would all the teachers at Hogwarts." Thinking a moment, she grinned and said, "Your mother was remarkably close to Marlene McKinnon. That's most likely the connection."

Reaching the Three Broomsticks, Harry saw it was full of other students taking a break from studying their OWLs. Harry dropped the Anonymous charm and Draco approached.

"Harry. Aunt Andromeda. Are you two up for a glass of wine? Mother purchased a nice bottle. It's a Beaujolais. A wine from Burgundy that you've yet to sample, Harry." Draco had been trying to teach him the differences in the French regions, starting with Burgundy. Wines were Draco's hobby. Harry liked the reds from the 'Cote de Nuits' region and Draco favoured the white wines from the 'Cote de Beaune' region. Of course, they had only studied the Burgundy wines… Harry was more of a Butterbeer drinker, but he had enjoyed the lessons.

A small voice called out, "Harry?"

Harry looked over and saw Billy Corbin. Sitting in his wheelchair.

"Can you sign my autograph now?" He was holding up a pen and a book of some sort.

Harry smiled. Billy was nice. "Sure, lets…" Harry suddenly stopped.

"Someone's trying to break into my trunk. Andromeda, I have to go… Draco…"

Draco nodded briskly, "I'll get my things and meet you at the carriages."

Harry headed out but turned toward his aunt before he exited. "Please ask Mr. Felder to meet me at the school." Then looking at Billy, "Next time. Sorry." And he was out.

Harry couldn't run well with the thorns. He thankfully managed to get his 'Anonymous' charm up. He was in no mood to be ambushed. The trunk had several valuable and personal possessions in it. Unlike the wardrobe, his trunk was massively warded, no one would get in there except Dumbledore. Unfortunately, it was also well cursed. Anyone who tried was in for a painful ride.

Draco, Andromeda, Narcissa and Mr. Felder met him at the carriages. Obviously, they had Apparated. Damn. Harry realised he could have just waited and Apparated with them. Harry saw Katie and Cormac in the distance racing toward the carriages. He politely waited. As he calmed down, he realised no one was getting into his trunk. Fortunately, they had tried that first. The wardrobes were not warded anywhere near as heavily. There really was no rush.

The three adults rode in one carriage and the four teens rode in the other. Harry remembered Luna telling him there were invisible horses pulling the carriages. Katie was still breathing hard. Cormac was too and he looked irritated. Harry realised it may have appeared as if he was trying to ditch them.

Harry said, "Someone tried to break into my trunk."

Katie straightened up immediately and asked, "What? When? Did you think they got anything?"

Harry looked at her. She and McLaggen both looked angry… "Just a few minutes ago. I have an alarm ward that alerts me of attempted break-ins." Remembering her second question, he added, "And there's not a snowballs chance in hell that they got through my security."

Cormac was smiling. "Nice one Potter. The Inquisitors go through everyone's things." With a disgusted sneer, he added, "Sometimes they steal."

Katie didn't look so happy. "Harry, it's allowed. Umbridge wrote an educational decree allowing Inquisitors to search student's belongings."

Harry smiled. "I'm not a Hogwarts student. And that Inquisitor is likely screaming in pain in the infirmary."

Draco asked, "What curse did you use?"

Harry was still smiling. "Mental only. The bad ones are reserved for people that manage to break in. He thinks he's being stung by fire ants. He'll also have the words 'Thief' tattooed all over his body. He'll need a good curse-breaker to remove them. And it won't be cheap. Especially after I write to Gringotts."

Draco laughed. "This should be fun."

Harry noted both Katie and McLaggen seemed maliciously happy. How many times had someone gone through their belongings?

— **DoD—**

Once more, Harry found himself in the Headmaster's office. He was seated at a rectangular table between his guardian and his solicitor. Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall were on the other side of the table, with Dolores Umbridge at the end of the table. She was standing, but due to her height, it didn't make much of a difference.

Dolores was barely able to control her anger. "I want to see what's in that trunk. I'll also have Mr. Potter prosecuted for assaulting a fellow student."

Dumbledore interrupter her, "Dolores, the curse that was causing Mr. Shoemaker discomfort has been removed."

Umbridge looked at the headmaster like he had grown a second head. "Not the one marking him."

Before anyone could respond, Mr. Felder interjected. "We agree that charges should be made and the DMLE should be contacted. As an eighteen-year-old man, Mr. Shoemaker should be prosecuted as an adult."

Dolores angrily exclaimed, "Mr. Shoemaker did nothing wrong. As an Inquisitor, he has every right to examine the content of any student's trunk. We have educational decrees affirmed by the Minister himself…"

Mr. Felder interrupted her. "Hogwarts Students are may be under the purview of your decrees, but Heir Black is **not** a Hogwarts Student. He is a visitor. Unless Hogwarts would like to risk the loss of its ICW standing, it will abide by the rules set by the ICW for visiting students. Rules which I made a point to become familiar with."

Harry laughed and shook his head. "Nice try Dolores, but you've missed again. How is your mother, Ellen, these days?"*

Dolores faltered, but ignored the question. The look she gave Harry was as venomous as the Basilisk he slew.

Dumbledore tried to change the subject. "Mr. Potter, perhaps you can remove the other curse from Mr. Shoemaker. The one with the unpleasant script marking him as a thief." Harry noted Dumbledore didn't seem to be pressing that hard.

Mr. Felder answered before Harry could. "I'm afraid the markings should only be removed once charges are pressed. As an adult, Mr. Shoemaker falls under Wizarding law where theft is concerned."

Harry noted both McGonagall and Dumbledore seemed unsurprised. In fact, they looked somewhat amused. Harry was certain Dumbledore could have removed the markings on the Inquisitor but chose not to. Most likely, Flitwick, Snape or McGonagall could as well. Snape would almost certainly take care of it… but the potion master hated it when one of his snakes got caught… so, maybe not.

Harry didn't want Shoemaker to leave just yet. "I'll defer charges until the end of the week. That way Mr. Shoemaker can take his NEWTs. But the markings stay. And there will be charges in a week." Harry then stood up. "If there is no further need for me, I have exams to study for." He would let his guardian and solicitor to clean up the mess.

As he left, Harry turned and looked back at Umbridge. "Say hello to Orford* for me. Does he still work at the ministry?" He turned and left before she could respond.

Katie and McLaggen were waiting at the bottom of the staircase, beside the gargoyle. Harry decided to share his point of view of the conversation as they walked him to his dorm. He noted both Prefects were immensely amused. Word would spread and Dolores would make a mistake.

— **DoD—**

Hours later, Draco and Harry were in their dorm. Harry was finishing up the 'abbreviated' book he purchased and had begun re-reading the marked pages. It was as basic as Madam McKinnon had said. But the descriptions and definitions were good. He could see this as a 'Cliff's Notes' guide to Divination. His familiar was beside him, deeply engrossed in the magazine he had purchased. Harry promised to read it to them after the exams. Hecate was trying to puzzle out the words. Maybe she could teach her sisters to read.

Draco looked up from his book, "Are you ready for the potions OWL?"

Harry looked up from his mangled book. "Absolutely. You know we've been taking NEWT training, right? We could probably get E's or O's on the NEWT right now."

"Better to over prepare than to under prepare." Closing his book, Draco laughed. "You know there were three Inquisitors up here, right? I asked around."

Harry shrugged, "I figured."

Draco was enjoying this. "Apparently, they left their mate when the screaming started."

"He was a 'nobody'. He probably thought the others would treat him like an equal…"

Draco shook his head. "Not a chance. He was a half blood from Ravenclaw. He was a sacrificial goat to see how extensive your wards are."

"Now they know. Hey, Katie will be here in a few. Hungry?"

Draco realised he was a bit hungry. "Lead on, Lord Black."

— **DoD—**

Once in the Great Hall, Harry met with the Gryffindor's and Draco went to maintain contact with a few of his remaining friends in Slytherin. Harry related the events of the attempted theft and answered all questions. Across the room, the unlucky Inquisitor was glaring at them with the word 'Thief' all over him. Face, hands, neck, everywhere. It was a particularly good curse. Easy to counter if you knew how, but the staff seemed to be feigning ignorance.

Hermione considered what she heard. "So, because you're not a Hogwarts student, the Educational Decrees don't apply to you? Expect that to be changed soon enough."

Harry wasn't fazed. "Not if they want to keep their ICW accreditation. Hogwarts must follow ICW rules when hosting OWLs and NEWTs with non-Hogwarts students. I already have five OWLs I'm sure I passed. Honestly, that's enough to stay in the Wizarding World. I could leave Hogwarts and never look back."

Neville asked an obvious question, "Why not just leave? Why risk reprisals?"

"Unfinished business, Neville. Besides, I have a Dinner Party Monday night. Professor Slughorn is considering a position at Hogwarts and he's invited Draco and me to a small gathering. I'm planning to take Ginny."

Hermione looked to be considering something. "What do pureblood wizards talk about? At these parties?"

Harry shrugged but Neville answered, "Politics, mostly. What's happening and who's doing what. This could lead to something, Harry. Horace Slughorn is known for his parties."

Hermione looked irritated. She muttered, "Closed society."

Harry shook his head. "No, Hermione. Professor Slughorn's not like that. My mum was one of his favourite students." Harry caught Neville nodding his head at Hermione. Implying that she was right. "OI!"

Ron laughed. So did Katie and a few others. Hermione just seemed to grow angrier.

Draco came over, obviously ready to go.

Hermione wouldn't drop it. "Heir Malfoy!" Everyone stopped breathing. "I wish to be taken to the Dinner Party Professor Slughorn is throwing Monday night." Seeing Ron about to freak out, she added, "As friends and colleagues only."

Draco looked like he had just eaten a dung bomb. Well, he asked for it. Harry had to fight the urge to laugh.

Hermione clarified, "This will suffice for your rapprochement."

Draco stared in horror. "It will ruin me in Slytherin… Why not Harry?"

Everyone was suppressing laughter now. Everyone except Hermione, Draco, and Ron.

Hermione was not giving an inch. "He's taking Ginny. I want to see what happens at these parties."

Draco saw the futility of arguing, "Alright, but you'll meet me **at** the party."

Hermione saw the benefit there. "Perfect." She didn't want Draco coming to the Gryffindor dorms any more than he wanted her around the Slytherin dorms. Ron didn't look happy, but Hermione would sort that out.

Harry stood up and collected his cushioning mat. "Time to go." Katie was laughing at the whole exchange. Harry so rarely got to enjoy light-hearted drama. He intended to make the best of it.

Just then, a large owl bearing an equally large package arrived for Harry. Looking at the box, he saw it was from Penelope McKinnon. A featherweight charm had been used on the container, but the size hadn't been changed. That implied something 'sensitive' to magic. He checked it for curses or poisons. It was clean. He'd look at it in his dorm. He glanced at the faculty table and saw all eyes were on him. Wondering what he had gotten. Let them wonder.

— **DoD—**

In the dorm, Harry opened the box. It was a rather large book with a note on top.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_It was very nice seeing you today. You do so remind me of your mother._

_This is the book I told you about. It has several excellent passages._

_I've taken the liberty of listing the pages and chapters I think will serve you best, just make certain you study the book I abbreviated for you first._

_It builds on the basics._

_This is an old Grimoire of Family magic from the Alaric family. It is a line that is now extinct._

_Use it well and do not share the knowledge. It should be considered Black family magic now._

_Also, please note that there are other volumes._

_I'll send those along as I find them, but this is the one that you will get the most out of at this point in your training._

_Good luck on your NEWTs._

_Sincerely,_

_Penelope McKinnon_

_P.S. a drop of blood should be applied to the binder to attune it to you._

Harry looked over the list. It was quite detailed and focused on two main groupings. Approximately a third of her notation was around Divination and the rest focused on Battle Magic. Harry was impressed with the older woman's knowledge and guidance. He sat on the spot and wrote her a lengthy thank you note.

— **DoD—**

**Sunday**

Sunday had Harry eagerly reading his new book. The Third Eye had been useful, but the Alaric Grimoire was brilliant. It walked through different exercises to opens one's mind. It even discussed divinatory combat magic. It lined up with what he had been calling a Danger Sense and clearly it was one in the same. Most of it, he already had learned through practical experiences, but it helped him better understand his emerging talent.

It also covered true Divination, the use of Nordic Runes in predicting the future, Psychometric readings, Astrology, and crystal gazing. They all required a different approach. Occlumency didn't align well with it, but it didn't resist either. Harry realised he could use this to at least fake his way through the practical exam. Maybe he could practice it at Tuesday's session.

The only bad thing that happened was Ginny couldn't go to Professor Slughorn's dinner party. Mrs. Weasley didn't think it would do for her to attend a party hosted by a man who used to be the Slytherin Head of House. Harry could only imagine what the Burrow was like with Hurricane Ginny and Tsunami Molly going head to head. Poor Arthur.

Harry offered to take Hermione, but Draco refused. After considering the circumstances, he realised Hermione could end up trying to get him to escort her to any number of other social events. Events far more damaging than a Dinner Party with Professor Slughorn during OWLs and NEWTs. Better to get it out of the way.

Harry was considering the option to just go stag. Asking anyone other than Hermione would be incredibly disrespectful to Ginny. Then he had a brilliant idea and invited Penelope McKinnon. It was the least he could do after her kind gift.

— **DoD—**

**June 17 Monday**

Monday morning had Harry and Draco enjoying a before exam breakfast. Invitations arrived for the dinner party, and Hermione received an invitation. She tried to reverse her request to Draco, but he refused and said he accepted her terms in good faith and the rapprochement was now satisfied. In the end, Hermione accepted the rapprochement and brought Ron as her date. Draco got off easy. Harry couldn't remember the last time he had seen Draco so happy.

Before the exam, Draco informed Harry that three other Slytherin's were attending. Blaise Zabini and the Carrow sisters. He warned Harry that the Carrow sisters were both sadistic and on the Inquisitor squad. Zabini was a lady's man, and a bit of a Cad, but not an Inquisitor.

At nine o'clock, the written portion of the potion's exam began. It was a simple test that Harry finished early. He considered it a slam-dunk. The afternoon practical went just as well. His mother's knowledge plus the hands-on work with Professor Slughorn ensured that Harry excelled in both the written and the Practical exams. Harry considered this another easy 'outstanding' score.

When he met Professor Slughorn after the exam, he mentioned that he was bringing Penelope McKinnon. Apparently, Professor Slughorn knew of her and made a big show of going with Harry and picking her up at the gates. Apparently, Gwenog Jones was coming as well. Having Penelope and Gwenog made his party complete.

At seven that night, Horace Slughorn held his dinner party. Minerva McGonagall attended as the Hogwarts representative. Most students didn't bring a date as there was so little advance notice. Cormac brought Katie as they were both on 'Harry Detail'. They seemed to be decent friends. Both were on the Quidditch team and Katie had enjoyed deflating Cormac when he got too full of himself. The fact that Katie was fun and attractive let her get away with it. Flora and Hestia Carrow came with only each other. Hermione brought Ron, who seemed terribly out of place. Draco came alone, and Blaise Zabini brought Padma Patil.

Harry made a point of staying near and helping Madam McKinnon about. He had to use reinforced clothing to prevent his thorns from injuring the elderly lady. She was quite spry and full of the most entertaining stories. Even Gwenog Jones stayed in her circle. Ron made a thoughtless comment about Ginny flipping out when she heard Gwenog Jones was at the party, but it was typical Ron. Hermione seemed to have a nice time and Professor Slughorn recognised her as being one of the brightest witches of her age. Unfortunately, her enjoyment was tempered as she was constantly having to corral and correct Ron.

Harry found himself standing at the punch line beside Padma and in front of one of the Carrow twins. He was right where he wanted to be and was pleasantly surprised at how everything seems to work out.

Harry handed Padma a cup. "Hi Padma. How are your OWLs going?"

With a wry grin, Padma said, "Well, Mr. Patronus… I'm doing well. Keeping your friend Miss Granger on her toes."

Harry laughed, "You and Greengrass." He heard the Carrow twin behind him stop moving. She had to be listening. "Hey, if you're free Thursday night… come buy the old theatre on the west side. I'm having an after-OWL party. That part of the castle is deserted, so no need to worry. Nine o'clock."

Padma seemed frazzled a bit. "Really? I thought you might still be mad. About last year."

Harry said, "Nah, life's too short." Somehow, he managed to half-heartedly smile.

Seeing a concerned and suspicious look, he quickly added, "You never wore that 'Potter Stinks' Button or attacked me in the halls. On my honour, no tricks. I plan to invite the entire Defence study group. Just keep it down low. I need to keep this small."

Padma seemed touched. "Thanks Harry. I'm glad you're not bitter. My sister is over the moon that you're letting her group of psychics examine you."

Harry stammered, "What? It's supposed to be a study session…"

Padma smiled, "It is, but they'll be studying you. With their third eyes." She was enjoying this. Padma might be worse than Draco! "Relax, Harry, they'll quiz you and help prepare you, but you'll be under the _mystical microscope_."

Harry muttered, "Lucky me."

Padma was grinning ear to ear. Then she turned serious. "I want you to know I believe you. When it all comes down, I'll be there. Beside you."

"T-thanks, Padma." Harry was moved.

Changing the subject, she tentatively asked, "Harry, does it hurt? The thorns?" She seemed genuinely concerned, not simply curious.

"Yeah. But I've learned to focus past it."

Turning around, Harry saw the Carrow twin behind him had left and was in a quiet discussion with her sister. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw them glancing and smiling his way. It was not a smile like Padma had given him. It was predatory.

Before the evening was over, Harry asked Hermione to get the word around to the defence group that there would be a small party in the west theatre on Thursday at eight o'clock. But to keep it quiet. Hermione looked askew at him. She suspected something but didn't know what. Still, a party is a party. She agreed.

It all wrapped up and everyone had a particularly good time. Harry was asked repeatedly if the thorns hurt, but he was used to it. He considered getting a shirt made that said, 'Yes, it's excruciating.' Harry and Professor Slughorn made a point to walk Madam McKinnon to the gate so she could Apparate home.

On the walk to the gates, Madam McKinnon whispered to Harry, "Be careful. You have enemies all around you."

Harry smiled and reassured her, "I have them right where I want them, Madam McKinnon."

There was something in the way she looked at him. Something… hard to identify. "I'm sure you do, Harry. I'm sure you do." Harry knew immediately, this was not a woman to cross. He briefly thought of Neville's grandmother.

Penelope McKinnon's final words before Apparating away were, "See chapter 46."

Professor Slughorn escorted Harry back to his dorm and chatted the entire way. Harry smiled and nodded, but his mind was elsewhere.

That night, Harry read over chapter 46 of the Alaric Grimoire three times.

— **DoD—**

**June 18 Tuesday**

The next day, Harry and Draco had breakfast with the usual crew. Draco scouted and learned that the Inquisitors were planning something on Thursday evening. Something big. Perfect. The hint he dropped to the Carrow twin was picked up.

At ten o'clock, Harry and Draco took the Care of Magical Creatures exam. Harry had always been good with animals and he was able to draw on his parent's knowledge to perform acceptably on the written exam. It wasn't an 'Outstanding' score. He doubted it was even 'Exceeded Expectations'. But a decent showing on the practical ensured a passing grade.

Unfortunately, the practical exam in the afternoon was worse. He knew how to kill all kinds of creatures but caring for them was a different matter. Harry realised this would likely not be a passing score. It was a shame that having a Runespoor Familiar didn't count toward extra credit.

Speaking of which, the girls seemed to enjoy Dobby. He kept them fed and that was enough for them. Hopefully, they didn't mind going with him tonight to the Divination study session. He'd bring the magazine he picked up. In case they got bored. With a little luck, Harry might even pass the exam. 'The Third Eye' covered the basics and the Alaric Grimoire expanded on that. He no longer was afraid of a 'Troll' on his record.

Harry met with Katie and McLaggen at six thirty and walked to the Gryffindor dorms. He noticed multiple Inquisitors tracking him. At least two were openly leering. Yeah, they were eager to mess him up. Part of him wanted to openly mock and challenge them, but this wasn't the time or the place. His escorts had noticed it too. Both prefects had their wands out.

Arriving at the Dorm, Harry was escorted inside and waited with McLaggen while Katie went to get Lavender and Parvati. This was the first time Harry had been back to the Gryffindor common room since the Declaration of Eiectio. Harry knew most of the Gryffindor's were in the library, but there were a few students here. He was getting some uncomfortable looks. It was probably just the thorns…

Cormac took a moment to rub his chin and said, "Don't go out alone, Potter. They want you. Badly. They're not even hiding it."

"Yeah. Well, lucky for me you guys are here." Cormac seemed lost in thought and didn't comment.

Harry knew Cormac was an arrogant ass, but apparently, he wasn't a bad guy. Those Inquisitors really put him on edge. The year must have been hell with those bullies in positions of authority.

Lavender and Parvati soon came downstairs, both carrying large shoulder bags.

Parvati excitedly said, "Hi, Harry! Ready to go?" Parvati sounded like this was going to be a party. Lavender was just as thrilled.

Harry tried not to laugh. "Sure. Where are we going?"

Lavender beamed, "The Divination classroom. You'll love it, Harry."

As they marched to the North Tower, Harry noted how the two Gryffindor Divination experts lost their 'bubbly bounce' when they spotted the occasional Inquisitor. They both shrank back to be closer to Katie and Cormac. How had things gotten so bad? Why hadn't Dumbledore stepped in and done something? As Harry considered the different things the Headmaster could have done, he realised that none of the options he thought of were legal.

Harry saw one Inquisitor glaring at him. He had the word 'Thief' was literally written all over his face. Harry stopped and stared back at the boy. He summoned all the anger and animosity he could manage and just focused it into his stare. After a moment, the boy turned and left.

Katie came up beside him, "Harry? Did you know your eyes were glowing?"

Harry briefly looked at his friend. "No, but I'm not surprised."

He then began walking the rest of the way. His Familiar whispering amongst herself in 'her' bag. They were imagining how Harry would kill all his enemies.

The group eventually reached the North tower and ascended a spiral staircase to a room that looked like a cross between an attic and a tearoom. There were a few round tales with white table clothes on them. The chairs were plush armchairs and Harry suspected his thorns would do considerable damage before the session was done.

Lavender set up one of the tables and lit a few lamps While Parvati reverently pulled a crystal ball from her bag. That was quickly followed by a set of oversized Tarot cards, a tea kettle and multiple cups, and other odds and ends.

Katie and Cormac groaned, but sat at a side table to watch. Great, an audience.

Parvati said, "Harry, come over here."

Harry approached the main table in the middle. "Are we the only people here?"

The two girls exchanged a look. Lavender volunteered, "Well, the others are afraid of your Familiar."

The next hour was spent with Harry having his fortune told over and over. Both girls were afraid to let Harry handle their cards or even their crystal ball. Something about thorns and scratching them up. To their credit, they did explain what they were doing along the way, but every prediction ended in something baleful. He eventually got tired of hearing how doomed he was. He put his Familiar on a side table with her magazine to look at. It was kind of funny how much they liked looking at Witch Weekly.

Parvati gasped. "Is that the _**Fall Fashion Preview**_ edition?"

Harry paused a moment. "Can't be. It's June."

Lavender shook her head in exasperation. "Fall fashion preview _**starts**_ in June, Harry. Then there's the Winter preview in late September. The fall edition sold through… where did you get this one?"

Harry laughed. "I got the last one in 'Tomes and Scrolls' when I went to pick up the book you recommended. My girls love looking at the photos. I just have to…" He reached over and flipped a page, "Turn the pages."

Harry suddenly thought of a way to study on his own. _"§ Do you girls mind if Lavender and Parvati read to you §?"_

The Runespoor looked up with all three heads and had a brief conversation with itself. Hecate was apparently the speaker. _"§ They can read to us, but if we flick our tail, they have to leave. §?"_

Fifteen minutes later, Harry was reviewing the basics in the Third Eye while Lavender and Parvati were devouring the magazine and reading to his 'girls'. At first, the Gryffindor's were nervous, but amazingly they worked it out. Lavender liked the vibrant green eyes on the Runespoor and discussed scarf options. Parvati pointed out the differences in their patterns and how it suited them.

Soon they were all whispering and laughing. Harry occasionally used his enhanced hearing to listen in. As vacant as he sometimes thought the two Gryffindor's were, they really knew a lot about fashion. Fabric choices, weave density, colour matching, accessorizing… they even knew which designers favoured different styles. In addition to their fashion sense, they were also very observant. The gossip they whispered was based on sound observations and deduction. Sure, it seemed more focused on who was cheating on who and which broom closets were most in demand, but it was still based on logic and reasoning.

After the first hour, Harry spent more time watching and occasionally translating, than studying. He decided it was worth it to see his girls having fun. After a while, Hecate lost interest and lay down to rest. Soon enough, Artemis did too. But Selene just kept going. Well, she was the girlie girl of the trio. Harry had translated quite a few inquiries from Selene about shoes and why they had to match a witch's handbag. Catching Katie and Cormac's eye, they were really enjoying the show. Apparently, Selene really loved fashion.

Eventually, the study session ended, and the group walked Harry back to his dorm, then back to the Gryffindor dorms. His Familiar was happy and Selene was overjoyed. Harry realised he needed to get them a friend or two. They were lonely. He re-read chapter 46 one more time then started his pre-sleep occlumency exercises. Today had been interesting.

— **DoD—**

**Harry's Dreamscape**

**Tuesday Evening**

Harry was behind his parent's home, nestled in his mindscape. He was practicing a few of the Battle Magic spells he had learned in the Alaric Grimoire. The ones from chapter 46 had been a bit more challenging. His parents were both helping him with the potential nuances of a handful of specific spells and charms. Placing these spells in matrices would require an extraordinarily strong understanding of the magic behind the spells. Until he could understand them better, he wouldn't be able to place them in his spell matrices. To do that, he needed to cast them repeatedly in the waking world.

He needed his wand.

James' incarnation had corrected his stance a few times, but overall, he felt Harry could cast all the chosen spells if given the opportunity. However, it would help to have a wand to practice with. Even a successful casting is something that can be awkward the first time. His mother's incarnation remembered Penelope McKinnon fondly. Lily worked for the woman from time to time and had always been kind to her. The woman had the best collection of rare books in Britain. At least, the best collection that was available for purchase. That said, she apparently was very choosey about who she sold her books to. Still, everyone knew she could locate almost any book in existence… for a price.

The Battle Magic in the Alaric Grimoire seemed a lot like the ones Charlus Potter put in the Potter Grimoire, but more… power oriented. These spells had been refined over generations and tended to favour those at the high end of magical power. Compared to the Potter Grimoire where finesse and preparation seemed to overshadow raw power. James and Lily both thought these would combine well with the Potter Grimoire. It was odd the way Madam McKinnon chose to direct him to name it Black Family magic.

James had a theory that because the Black Family were Ancient and Most Noble, the Grimoire would have elevated status and would be bound to the Black Family in some way. The tome passed to Harry was focused as much on Battle Magic as it was on Divination. Perhaps the other volumes she had mentioned were darker in nature. Perhaps she was just a tired old lady and got confused. Either way, his parents were helping him digest the information. He loved working with them.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**June 19 Wednesday**

Harry woke up with a groan. Today was all about Divination and Magical Theory. Because of his unusual grouping of subjects, Harry was going to have four exams. The Astronomy Theory was in the morning, followed by an Afternoon Divination exam. Then he would have to take an off cycle Arithmancy Exam, followed by a late-night Astronomy Practical.

Harry asked Dobby and Pipsey to alternate keeping the girls. He asked Pipsey to try and find fashion magazines to read to her. Preferably ones from this year. Dobby had taken to playing checkers with them. Today would be a long, long day.

Harry and Draco took their Astrology exams and Harry performed acceptably. Draco seemed quite happy with his results. Astrology was something Draco excelled in. Of course, when you're named after a constellation, familiarity with the stars was expected.

The Divination exam combined written and practical, with the practical starting as soon as the written was turned in. The exam started out well. Both Lavender and Parvati wished him luck. They both asked about his Familiar. As Harry worked through the exam, he was relieved to see that his 'Abbreviated' book covered two thirds of the topics. The Alaric Grimoire covered most of what was left over. Harry couldn't go into much depth, but he was able to make a solid showing. He thought his written exam would net him an 'Exceeds Expectations'. If he made a decent showing on the practical, he'd pass.

The individual assigned to Harry's practical was Wilhelm Oppenheimer. The only Wizard amongst numerous Witches giving the exam. He was a very 'no-nonsense' type of man. Harry realised how foolish he'd look acting like Lavender and Parvati had last night. There was no way this man would buy into a theatrical performance.

Mr. Oppenheimer sat down and looked Harry up and down. "Do the thorns... hurt?" He was obviously German, but his accent was negligible.

Harry fought back a groan… "Yes, sir. But I manage."

The older wizard adjusted his glasses, "Let's begin with Tarot cards… unless you prefer Nordic runes or Oracle cards?"

"Tarot cards are fine, sir."

"Very well. Do you prefer Rider-Waite-Smith, Marseilles, or the Thoth?"

Harry thought for a moment. The Third Eye talked about RWS… "Rider-Waite-Smith, please."

The man waited a few moments then forced a smile; he had obviously been waiting for Harry to do something. "Ah… You didn't bring your own deck."

With a poorly concealed look of irritation, Mr. Oppenheimer walked over and asked a few other test administrators for a spare deck. The third witch he tried finally and reluctantly agreed to share a spare deck.

Setting the deck down on the table, Mr. Oppenheimer said, "These belong to Madam Russel. She asked that you be extra careful."

"Yes sir." Harry struggled with shuffling and nicked a few cards with his thorns. He saw Mr. Oppenheimer flinch more than once. Yeah, he'd like to see anyone else shuffle cards with thorns on their hands.

Harry went with what he thought was the easiest spread. The Three Card Spread consisted of three cards were laid out directly in front of the reader. The three cards represented the past, present, and the future. Lavender and Parvati preferred the Celtic Cross Layout, but Harry just wanted to keep it simple. As he laid out the cards, he realised he forgot to ask Mr. Oppenheimer to cut the deck. Great. That would cost him a few points.

Harry flipped over the first card. "Upside down… I mean, _**Inverted**_ Nine of Cups. Ummm. Too much of a good thing. Maybe Alcohol or some other vice. Leads to illness. No, _**led**_ to illness… in the past. Not the future. Because this is the past." Ohhhhhh boy. No wonder Parvati and Lavender wanted to practice giving readings.

"Mr. Potter, is this for you or for me?"

Harry just stared blankly a moment. He hadn't thought that far ahead. Shite.

"Ummm. You, sir." Obviously, Harry hadn't over indulged. Shite. He just called the man an alcoholic.

Mr. Oppenheimer looked equally amused and disappointed. "Very well. Please proceed."

"Yes. The next card… the present." Flipping over the middle card, "Inverted King of Wands." Now Harry realised he would be insulting the man. "Belligerent and stubbornness in your present. May not be you… Someone already made up their mind… or something. Stubborn. Belligerent. Incorrect Assumption." Mr. Oppenheimer pursed his lips. Not good.

Harry tried to think of a way to spin this, but he was ready to just move on. Please let it be something good… He reached for the third card.

"Finally, the future." Harry turned over the third card. Another inverted card. "Inverted Page of Pentacles." Harry stared at the card. Why were all three inverted?

"And what does that tell you Mr. Potter?" The older man seemed to be both irritated and amused at his discomfort.

"Disappointment in your professional meetings and a message that is delayed."

Mr. Oppenheimer smiled and nodded. Harry knew what he was thinking. This reading was the disappointing meeting.

Mr. Oppenheimer leaned forward and placed his elbow on the table and his jaw on one hand. He asked, "What would you like to do next, Mr. Potter? We have choices. Would you prefer crystal gazing… palm reading… psychometry… xylomancy… tea leaf readings…?" The man seemed as eager to wrap this up as Harry did. At last he was smiling. Apparently, the man had decided to just relax and enjoy the show. Harry chose the method that was featured the most in the Grimoire chapters Madam McKinnon had read.

"Psychometry, please." He could at least go through the motions.

Mr. Oppenheimer thought for a moment. He placed an old water damaged book on the table. Harry picked it up and looked it over. There was nothing written on any of the swollen and 'poofed up' pages. The binder was terribly stained leather. This book had been under water for an extended period.

With a deep breath, Harry closed his eyes and tried to follow the instructions in the Alaric Grimoire. Slow breathing. Open his perceptions. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, and breathe out. With one very deep and cleansing breath, he set the book down on his desk. Using the specially formulated ink, he wrote the final entry in his journal. He had learned much on his last voyage. The mission was successful, but that brought him no comfort. Ekrizdis** was performing vile acts in his fortress and Britain needed to be aware of what was breeding on that cursed island. The island and all its wretched inhabitants had to be destroyed, but it could only be done in a specific way.

The secret to the island and its foul residents must be delivered to the Ministry. The horrors of the island could not be allowed to continue. By all that was good and just in the world, they must be destroyed. Placing his hand on his journal, he realised how critical his notes were. With a wave of his wand, he activated the magic within the ink, and it faded from sight.

Suddenly, there was a huge explosion and the boat violently shuddered. They were under attack. Placing the journal in the cabin's strong box, he then rotated his wand in a complex pattern and placed a ward on it. He would be mentally tied to the journal and if anyone handled it, he would know. After setting the charm, he closed the box, locked it, and rushed out to fight. Emerging from below deck, the wind was suddenly colder and incredibly oppressive. He suddenly felt immense hopelessness and despair. With a surge of terror, he knew what was attacking the ship.

Rotting flesh in dark cloaks were everywhere. Men were screaming and crying like infants. Their very souls were being devoured. In a burst of panic, he leapt off the ship into the waters below. In the icy water, it felt like there were knives cutting into him wherever his flesh was exposed. The screaming from the ship was slowly diminishing… Where had he dropped his wand? Looking over, he could see the ship was listing as it took on water. He then saw dark cloaks gliding over the water toward him. There was no escape. No hope…

He chose a watery death over the fate the creatures would give him. Forcing himself under water, he held his breath if he could, his vision slowly getting dark and the urge to rise and draw breath was nearly impossible to resist. Just… one… more… breath. He instinctively looked up as he began ascending through the icy water, that's when he saw them. Staring down at him… With empty eye sockets. Waiting for him to break the surface. No… The ocean promised a far better death. He released his breath… and sucked in the ocean. After the terrible first few water filled breaths, it became easier. What started as panic and pain slowly became darkness and disconnection as he gently descended into the darkness toward the bottom of the sea.

Would anyone find his journal?

…

Harry realised he was lying on his back. His lungs were full of water! He instantly rolled over and vomited his breakfast and his lunch. But he was also coughing up briny water. He was soaking wet. The water soaking him was icy cold and his clothes were soaked completely. With every deep breath, he coughed up more of the brine-filled water. After a minute or so passed, he rolled onto his side. Madam Pomfrey was standing over him. Judging by her breathing, she had rushed to get there. With a wave of her wand, the last of the salt water was pulled from his lungs, but he could still feel a bit in his sinuses.

The nurse made eye contact, she looked deeply concerned. Harry sat up and looked around. Everyone was staring. Harry pushed his thick wet hair back with a shaky hand and cut his hand on a few thorns. He then realised he smelled like the sea. Not in a good 'trip to the beach' way. Maybe it was just the water trapped in his sinuses. The thorns prevented anyone from helping him up or trying to restrain him… _Rotting flesh in dark cloaks_ …

Slowly rising on shaking legs, soaked from head to toe, Harry glared at Mr. Oppenheimer. "Fuck Divination and fuck Psychometry. I don't need this shit." Harry tossed the book onto the table. "Take this filth back to Azkaban."

Mustering his pride, Harry began his grand exit, only to slip and fall in his own vomit. Painfully breaking a few thorns on his hip. "Can someone _**please**_ clean this shite up…?"

**Notes**

***Orford and Ellen are Dolores Umbridge's parents. Orford Umbridge was a Janitor at the ministry and Dolores was ashamed of him. She had him discretely fired so no one would know they were related. Her mother Ellen is a muggle. Dolores has renounced her mother and is deeply ashamed of her heritage.**

**** Ekrizdis was a Dark Wizard active in the 15** **th** **century and was the original inhabitant of the fortress of Azkaban. He practiced terrible rituals and Dark Magic on muggle sailors who strayed too close to the island. He was thought to be both incurably insane and completely without conscience. One of the Darkest Wizards ever recorded.**

**For the Tarot reading, I bought an app and used the results. The results came up perfect for the story, so I kept them. Mr. Oppenheimer will be sending Harry his feedback on the interpretation when he provides his grade. For the other exams, Harry really didn't prepare much. He is using the information passed on from his parents and that was more than enough to pass his NEWTs with high marks in Defence, Transfiguration, Charms, Runes, and Arithmancy. For OWLs, it was a cinch. A few of his other exams were not going as well. Neither parent put much effort into Astronomy or Care of Magical only had History of Magic and Muggle Studies to complete and he'll be done.**

**Within 72 hours: Comeuppance part 3 (the finale)**


	36. Chapter 36

— **Dance of Death 36—**

**In the last chapter, Harry came to Hogwarts and began taking his exams. Harry made subtle threats to Dolores Umbridge resulting in the woman becoming nervous and afraid of what Harry would do when he turned seventeen. Her concern was that Harry would ruin her with the declaration of a Blood Feud. She was determined to prevent this and was looking for an opportunity to get Harry alone. Harry had been taunting her at every opportunity and he planned to seek revenge for Hedwig's death. Keeping her on edge was part of his plan to goad her into making a mistake.**

**Harry received a Grimoire from Penelope McKinnon, an elderly woman that knew his mother. The Grimoire expanded his knowledge considerably in both Battle magic and Divination. Later, while attending Slughorn's party with the elderly woman, Harry made sure he was overheard by one of the Carrow twins regarding an after-OWL party he was hosting.**

**He had had a particularly good first week and was certain that he had five OWLs – the requirement for staying in the wizarding world. The second week started exceptionally well with his Potions exam, but he struggled with his Care of Magical Creatures exam. Knowing how to fight and kill creatures was not the same as knowing how to care for them. The Divination exam resulted in a disturbing vision triggered by an old water-damaged journal. Harry experienced the final moments of a wizard investigating the island of Azkaban in the fifteenth century. This is where we pick up.**

**Important Note** **: Umbridge suffers a terrible fate and it is quite violent. I have marked the section with a warning in bold lettering so any readers who do not wish to read it can avoid the violence. I referenced the scene so much in Casting Shadows I felt I had to provide enough of the details to close the loop between the stories. I do not plan to write anything like the details of what happens to Umbridge in any of my fictions in the future.**

— **DoD—**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.**

**FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories. The Ritual of Thorns and Oakheart are two examples.**

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

**Chapter 35: Comeuppance part 3 – the Finale**

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts Infirmary**

**June 19 Wednesday**

**3:30PM**

Harry had been checked over by Madam Pomfrey when Andromeda, Mr. Felder, Mr. Oppenheimer, and Albus Dumbledore came into the infirmary. Great. At least he had managed a shower and didn't smell like a fish. Andromeda approached first.

"Harry, what on earth happened?" His guardian was obviously upset. It's not every day a person almost drowns during an examination.

"My divination practical didn't go very well." Looking over at the man who administered his practical, Harry added, "I'm sorry for what I said Mr. Oppenheimer. That was a… traumatic reading."

Dumbledore calmly said, "Perhaps it would help if you started at the beginning."

Harry relayed everything he could remember. He left nothing out. Apparently, when he leapt overboard, he also leapt out of his chair…

Mr. Felder turned to Mr. Oppenheimer. "May I see this book?"

Mr. Oppenheimer shook his head, "I'm afraid that journal is no longer available for public viewing." Turning to Harry, he asked, "Mr. Potter… is there anything you can tell us about the lock that was placed on the ink?"

"The charm only activated it, the ink itself was the source. May I see the book again?"

Mr. Oppenheimer winced. It was clear to everyone that he was suddenly very protective of the journal. "Please be careful, Mr. Potter." With great reluctance, he extracted it from his briefcase.

Harry smirked at him. He reinforced his occlumency and intentionally closed himself off. No repeat performance here… He gently took the book and opened it. He focused all his perception and began scanning the book across multiple levels of magic. Nope. Nothing. This was a unique charm.

"May I please have my wand, Headmaster?" He directed the request to his headmaster. It still irritated him that he had to ask.

Albus Dumbledore produced Harry's wand from his sleeve. Harry felt somewhat violated. Knowing that Dumbledore was carrying around _**his**_ wand while denying Harry access.

"I took the liberty of retrieving your wand from Madam Marchbanks before coming here, Mr. Potter." Apparently, he had picked up on Harry's irritation.

Harry began trying to replicate the charm from his vision. On the fourth try, something 'clicked'. He peered down and saw threads. They were gossamer thin and transparent, but they were now ever-so-lightly tied to his wand. Harry smiled; it was nice to use old tricks. This was his element… he was a Curse-Breaker again. Doing what he loved most. Revealing the secrets of the past and rescuing them from obscurity.

He began un-weaving the security and opening the ink… He lost the threads twice and had to repeat the process, but on the third try… the pages began to fill back up with text. Harry looked over at Andromeda.

" _ **That's**_ why I love curse-breaking, mum. _**That's**_ what makes me happiest. Finding and saving lost knowledge from the depths of oblivion… It's like having a time machine." Harry handed the book back to Mr. Oppenheimer. He was so happy he was unable to contain it. He had forgotten how good it felt to solve an arcane puzzle.

Mr. Oppenheimer delicately took the book back. "Mr. Potter, you have performed a great service for Magical Britain. Thank you." He looked at the book. "We assumed it was an empty journal… that the original was lost…"

Harry had other questions, but they didn't really matter. He was reminded that OWLs and NEWTs scores didn't really matter much. He had already begun his career in Curse Breaking. He did have one question he wanted answered.

"Mr. Oppenheimer, can I assume I passed my practical?" It would be a shame if he went through all that and still failed.

"Mr. Potter, you had a Psychometric vision with a manifestation during a Divination exam. You used a vision to solve a riddle that was hundreds of years old. What do you think?" Harry noted the amused look on his face again. Mr. Oppenheimer apparently had a sarcastic sense of humour. Harry kind of liked the man.

Harry looked puzzled. "Manifestation…?"

Mr. Oppenheimer smiled, "You nearly drowned in it."

Harry realised the sea water he was drenched in was from his own magic interacting with his vision… yeah, it was probably impressive. If only he hadn't slipped in his own vomit.

Harry smiled, "Right… well, this has been fun. Unfortunately, I have my Arithmancy exam in twenty minutes."

Harry looked at Andromeda and noticed how happy she suddenly seemed. She was just looking at him so… affectionately? Dumbledore seemed especially 'twinkly' as well. What the hell had he said to cause this? At least Mr. Felder seemed focused and mistrustful. Harry gave him a nod and a smile. Consistency was important.

Harry had Dobby bring him clothes that didn't smell like he had dragged them under a ship and prepared for his Arithmancy exam. Andromeda helped him adjust his bag after he had dressed. She also applied a breath freshener and scented up his hair with a baby powdery charm.

After Harry left, Andromeda realised that Harry had no idea he had called her mum. Everyone else heard it and for a moment, she was exceptionally proud. It fit. Then she noticed Albus twinkling at her.

Dumbledore happily said, "It appears, you've been an incredibly good influence on Mr. Potter. He seems to have quite a future as a Curse-Breaker. I'm happy for both of you Mrs. Tonks. It's not often an opportunity to help heal someone like Harry comes along."

Mr. Oppenheimer wasn't sure what the Headmaster was getting at, but that's the way Dumbledore was. Riddles and hints. "Lady Black. Your son has a gift. I would love to help him develop it over the summer… Think it over and let me know."

Andromeda gave the man a curious glance. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

"Fritz Oppenheimer. I'm one of the ICW certified test evaluators. I'm a specialist in Prophetic Interpretation. He handed her his personal calling card."

Albus Dumbledore solemnly looked over his half frame glasses. "You are more than that, _Unspeakable_ Oppenheimer." Letting that sink in, he added, "And there will be no recruitment at Hogwarts."

Mr. Oppenheimer seemed slightly irritated at Dumbledore's comment. "I have no desire to recruit a fifteen-year-old. Mr. Potter deserves a chance of a family before considering a career in research."

Dumbledore was still smiling. "Oh, but you do far more than research… The choice to utilise your tutorial services or not will be left up to Lady Black and her esteemed solicitor. I fear I must attend other duties now." The headmaster then slowly turned and left the Infirmary.

Andromeda had been listening intently. "Mr. Oppenheimer, I'll… consider your offer. We'll be in touch either way."

Harry had no issues with the afternoon Arithmancy exam and felt certain of at least an 'E' and possibly an 'O'. He also had a little down time between the Arithmancy exam and last night's Astronomy practical. Draco heard about the vision and apparently Lavender and Parvati were telling everyone they had 'opened Harry's third eye'. He didn't want to answer any questions, so he and Draco showed up to the Astronomy practical at the last minute. He'd see them tomorrow. Harry was sure of a passing score on the practical, but he knew he didn't perform anywhere near as well as Draco. He had no intention of getting a NEWT in Astronomy, so an 'Acceptable' would suffice. The practical ended at two in the morning and he rushed off. He could tell both Lavender and Parvati wanted to talk to him, but he had another task before he could sleep.

**He scouted two abandoned classrooms with sizable cupboards. Both were well positioned and sufficient for his purposes. One was near the Theatre and the other near a sublevel corridor leading away from the theatre.**

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**June 20, 1996**

**Thursday 9AM**

Harry woke up and prepared for his day after only five hours of sleep. He squirmed out of bed and made sure his Familiar was asleep. Staggering into the bathroom, he began his morning ritual and enjoyed a long hot shower.

The History of Magic exam was today at ten. He wanted to have a leisurely breakfast. Tonight, was the night he planned for the payback. Harry dressed and waited on Draco. He summoned Dobby and left his Familiar in the house elf's able hands. The girls were still sleeping. He knew Dobby could get her away if anyone threatened…

Draco came out dressed and ready. Both teens were tired.

"Ready for breakfast, Draco?"

"Coffee would be nice."

Harry checked the time. "Katie and McLaggen are probably downstairs now."

— **DoD—**

**The Great Hall**

**June 20 Thursday**

**9AM**

In the Great Hall, Harry was greeted by Lavender and Parvati "Harry! What was it like?" He wasn't sure which had asked, they were both talking. Katie was enjoying this.

"What?"

Parvati was grinning, "You opened your third eye, Harry! We're **so** proud of you."

Lavender added proudly, "We plan to train others now, too." She was grinning at him as well.

Harry wasn't sure what to say. "Thanks…"

McLaggen had been smirking all morning. He chose that moment to hand Harry today's Prophet.

" _Harry Potter has Prophetic Vision"_

_Details on page 4_

Skimming through the article, he noticed that both Parvati and Lavender are mentioned as his tutors. It went on to sensationalise the event with the test lab being flooded and described him with glowing eyes and speaking in strange languages. There were questions around possession and channelling. Typical Prophet… Making a mountain out of a mole hill. Harry then realised that he really didn't know what happened while he was having his vision.

Harry looked at the Divination Duo. "So... You guys were both there. What did it look like?"

Both Lavender and Parvati started talking at the same time. Harry was getting used to this kind of speech. First the Weasley twins, then his Familiar. At least there weren't three of them. Speaking of twins, he saw Padma off to the side. She looked amused.

"Well, first you were kind of struggling…"

"With the cards."

"Cards may not be your thing, Harry…"

"You said 'Ummm' a lot. You can't do that with Tarot cards."

"Everyone will think you're just faking it."

"Were you?"

"Then you picked up that book and your eyes started glowing."

"You started talking, but it was a foreign language."

"Then you leapt out of your chair…"

"When you hit the ground, there was a kind of splash and you were all wet."

"…Salt Water…"

"I even got some on me!"

"But it wasn't as bad as the Prophet said…"

"People tried to help, but the thorns."

"Your test administrator told everyone not to touch you."

"Someone sent for the nurse…"

"You were coughing up water."

"We were all so shocked…"

"Then you started yelling at your test coordinator…"

"I hope he doesn't hold it against you."

"And you left."

"It was amazing."

Harry realised he was getting a number of 'looks' from the different tables. Lavender and Parvati were bubbly and a little flighty, but they were fun and energetic. People might not respect them, but everyone seemed to like them, and it was clear why. They were both full of life and enthusiasm, Harry found it hard to be unhappy in their presence. Parvati was really smart, and Lavender wasn't dumb. They were both nice and… well, pretty. Harry had heard Hermione and Ginny groan about the 'Divination Duo'. They were never overtly cruel, but they didn't seem to think much of the pair. He was beginning to wonder if they might be a little… jealous?

Harry smiled. "Well, I just did what you guys showed me. You really know your Divination."

They beamed with pride.

Harry whispered, "Hey, are you guys coming to my party tonight?"

They looked at each other and smiled. Lavender said, "Absolutely." Both girls were proud.

Harry smiled. "Good. Let's get breakfast before the History of Magic exam. Maybe you guys can help me plan it?"

Parvati liked the idea. "Yes. After lunch we can scout out the theatre."

Lavender smiled and said, "We're experts on Feng Shui."

— **DoD—**

**Dolores Umbridge's Office**

**June 20 Thursday**

**11AM**

Dolores Umbridge sat calmly in her office. She was looking forward to this evening. The Carrow twins had reported that Harry Potter would be holding a party at 9PM tonight. He might be exempt from the Educational Decrees, but the other party goers were not. Dolores now knew where the party would be and when it would be. She planned to give the students thirty minutes to settle in and then she would lead her Inquisitors to apprehend them all.

After Potter's friends were taken into custody, he would be left alone. Alone with a few of her _most favoured_ Inquisitors. She would bring Greengrass, Pucey, and Bulstrode along to escort the Hogwarts students away, then her loyal Inquisitors would ensure Potter never reached his majority. And this time, there would no stairs involved to slow them down. Compared to the Carrow sisters, the Dementors she had sent would be kind and gentle.

She had planned to sack that damn Hagrid, but Potter was now her primary focus. Perhaps tomorrow…

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts West Theatre**

**June 20 Thursday**

**2PM**

After completing his History of Magic examination, Harry was evaluating the old theatre. It had been closed years ago, during his parent's tenure, following a terrible scandal where the leads were cursed and poisoned by their understudies. Over the years, it had gotten so bad that only the most driven actors and actresses would even try out for a desired part. Others would decline for fear of bodily harm. Apparently, aspiring actors and actresses could be quite cutthroat when they were passionate about a part. It unofficially became known as the 'Bezoar Theatre', a nickname the Marauders came up with that seemed to stick.

Pipsey, Winky, and Dobby had been busy preparing the theatre for the party. Lavender and Parvati were deciding where to place the tables and the punch bowl. Katie and McLaggen were just looking around. Harry approached the sixth-year prefects. "So, what do you think?"

Katie looked about a moment, "I like it! Funny how we've never had a play in the six years I've been here." She winked at him as she added, "Watch out for snoggers in the balcony."

Harry looked up and realised he needed to find a way to block that off. It could ruin everything. He'd have a word with Dobby and see if the area could be filled with old stage props. Yeah, that'd do it. The theatre was perfect. It had a set of moderate Repulsion Wards on it, but they were easy enough to remove. No alarm Ward was attached…

Harry noticed Cormac looking about. "Three exits. I'd feel better with four, but three works."

Harry appreciated the often-arrogant teen's assessment - find the exits first. He must have been paying attention to the notes Harry had sent to Hermione's group. Maybe there was hope for him.

Harry pointed to two areas of the stage. "There are actually five. I chose this site for the hidden trap doors under the stage."

He took Katie and McLaggen to the trap doors. "If we get raided, we use these two trap doors. They each lead to different hallways one level below the theatre. It's a straight shot from either corridor to the stairs leading to the Great Hall. A nice public area."

Harry walked both prefects through the sub-level corridors, clearing cobwebs as he went. He wanted them to be able to guide the students through if Umbridge and her Inquisitors showed up. Well, not 'if', _**when**_ Umbridge and her Inquisitors show up. The corridors were filthy, but it would work. Thank Merlin for the Marauders map or he never would have found them.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Near the Theatre**

**June 20 Thursday**

**6PM**

Harry and Draco snuck out of the Home School dorms and walked the area around the theatre. Harry was under the 'Anonymous' charm and Draco was lookout. He had just enchanted the cupboard in a room at the end of a hall near the theatre. He was using an Ancient Illusionist spell that linked doorways allowing point to point travel. It was like the way a Vanishing Cabinet worked, but with a limited range and duration. The ancient Illusionists designed the foundations of the magic used in vanishing cabinets, Switching charms, and even the Fidelius charm. When he was finished, he borrowed Draco's wand and covered the closet with a glamour.

"There. It's now linked to the classroom cupboard we enchanted earlier. The one near the Great Hall."

Draco took back his wand and asked, "Why didn't you use my wand to link the cupboards?"

"Two reasons. First, the spell hasn't been converted for wand use. I only know how to cast it with a spell matrix. Secondly, I'm sure someone will examine your wand when all the dust settles. If you don't 'clear' it, it will only reinforce our innocence."

Draco realised Harry was right. But he was still nervous. "Are you sure you're up to this? It's a huge risk with no backup."

Harry ran his hand through his hair and cut himself on a thorn. "No one else can do it. Haven't you noticed how nervous people are around those Inquisitors? Especially the witches… Then there's Hedwig."

Draco knew Harry wasn't going to let this go. First his Familiar… then the Dementors. Now they were seeing how nervous people were around Umbridge's thugs. Harry was ready to strike back and Draco didn't blame him. It was the magnitude of the plans that worried him. Harry was a risk taker of epic proportions. Risk aside, one of the most important aspects of the plan was for Harry to have witnesses. But he'd have to swallow his pride for that.

"Harry, can you be civil to the other students at your party? This'll be the first time you've interacted with them since the tournament." Draco hastily added, "You can't do the 'dead face' or everyone will assume you're out to get them."

Harry was quiet for a moment. "I'll just have to fake it. It would a lot be easier if you were there. I'm still pissed. Most of the people at the party…"

"You know I can't be there. It's just not possible. I wish it were, but it's not." Draco knew he'd be on edge all night.

"Yeah, I know. I'll ask Katie and Hermione to help with the people I can't be around without losing it."

"If you have second thoughts, just leave with everyone else. You don't have to be a hero." Even Granger probably wouldn't agree to this dangerous plan. Especially given that _someone_ was going to get hurt.

Harry didn't say anything. He didn't want to admit how nervous he was. So many things could go wrong… but it had to be done. All the pieces were in place.

Harry looked over at his one-time rival turned ally. "Let's head back. I need to talk to Mione."

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts Library**

**June 20 Thursday**

**7PM**

Hermione was sitting with Cedric Diggory. The two had become friends over the course of the year working on the Defence curriculum. This was a tough conversation. She knew the entire Defence group planned to attend Harry's party, she just needed to pass on Harry's request. Cedric was easy, but not when the subject was Harry Potter. Especially not when it involved Cedric's girlfriend, Cho Chang. There was a great deal of pain and guilt there.

Hermione had just asked Cedric to talk to Cho, Hannah, and Susan. They needed to be discouraged from approaching Harry. He had confessed at dinner that he just couldn't handle it.

Cedric looked tense. "I get it, alright? Well… not completely. I wish he would swallow his pride and just accept Cho's apology." Cedric then asked, "And what's up with Susan and Hannah? The never did anything to him. Nothing _excessive_."

Hermione hated putting Cedric through this, but Harry was her first friend. Her _**best**_ friend. "He thinks Hannah was the one who cursed him in the courtyard last year." Cedric flinched. He remembered that. Hermione continued. "He also thinks Susan convinced her aunt to cover it up. He apparently liked Susan, so it really stung. I don't know if he liked Susan as just a friend or if he liked her more… but he was crushed when she wore the button. And convinced her aunt to look the other way."

Cedric hadn't heard this, but it made sense. Both Hannah and Susan had seemed… off when Harry's name came up. It fit.

Cedric sat back. "I didn't know. But I doubt she intended it to be so bad. Or for the others to join in. Would you really send her to Azkaban over that?"

Cedric asked the question, but he still remembered the way Harry had been cured repeatedly until those younger Slytherins stepped in. He was about to step in himself, but he hesitated. Only for a minute… And three Slytherins did the right thing while a courtyard full of Hufflepuffs looked the other way. It was a defining moment and he had come up lacking. From that day forward, he swore he'd never be that weak again.

Hermione saw her friend was lost in thought. "Harry's trying to re-integrate… Everyone needs to just act casual. Don't overdo it."

"But Hermione, how can he get past Draco making and distributing the buttons, but not the people wearing it? Draco was the worst. Now they're thick as thieves… It goes against all logic."

Hermione had similar thoughts, but she understood how Harry had explained it. "Cedric, it wasn't really the buttons, it was the betrayal. Knowing everyone was against you. All right after he was kicked out of Gryffindor. He expected that of Draco."

Cedric seemed to make the connection. "That… makes a lot of sense. But what about Ron? He was one of the worst betrayals, but Harry seems alright around Ron…"

"Cedric, Harry tolerates Ron because he's dating Ron's sister and is apprenticed to his brother." Sadly, she admitted, "Between you and me, it still eats at him

Cedric sadly confessed, "I wish Harry would just grow up and let it go."

Hermione shared her hopes, "He will, Cedric… He just needs time. Last year was like nothing I've ever seen. It's a lot to ask anyone to get over." She squeezed Cedric's shoulder. "Give it time. If he comes back next year, maybe we can all work it out. But not tonight."

Cedric took a breath and raised his eyebrows. "I'll talk to them."

Hermione decided to throw Cedric a bone. "If it makes any difference, Harry actually doesn't want to exclude anyone. He specifically wanted me to make sure they knew they were invited… but not to seek absolution."

Cedric smiled a bit at that. "That's… actually good to hear."

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**West Theatre**

**June 20 Thursday**

**9PM**

The party in the theatre was going brilliantly. Harry brought a few of the less destructive fireworks and had Hermione cast sound suppression and air filtering charms on the area. Ron helped set them off while the party goers congregated on the stage. Harry wanted to use the mild ones before Umbridge got there. It was odd watching the light show from the stage but fitting for the messed-up year he had been through. Pipsey and Winky were keeping the food on the tables stocked up. Apparently, the word had gotten out and there were a lot of students there. It was most of the non-Slytherin OWL students and over half of the NEWT students. Both Hogwarts and Home-Schooled students. It was amazing how fast word of a party travelled.

Harry had to swallow his pride and his irritation more than once around the Gryffindor students… and the Hufflepuffs. But he needed them here at the party for his plans to work. Hermione had done her job and neither Cho, Susan, nor Hannah approached him. Cho sent him some annoyingly despondent looks, but he ignored her. Most people tread lightly around him… that made it easier. It was probably guilty conscience on their part, but it could have been the thorns.

Lavender and Parvati, on the other hand, didn't hold back around him at all. They were flittering around him acting like they were his best friends. At first Harry bristled, but they were popular for a reason… They also gave him an 'out' when other students worked up the courage to ask about the vision he had. Harry started referring those people to 'his tutors'. The 'Divination Duo' loved it and he got a break.

Padma cornered him during the fireworks finale. "Hi, Harry. It looks like you're the new master of pyrotechnics." Padma was cool. Far less energetic than her twin, but wittier and more sarcastic… and subtle enough to keep you guessing.

Harry smirked. "Only the smaller ones. The big ones are yet to come… tomorrow, maybe." Harry found he enjoyed her company.

Padma grinned and said, "I can't wait… But for now, I was wondering if you've had any prophetic visions about the punch being spiked."

The fireworks finale died off and students started cheering.

Harry looked at her a moment and chuckled. "My third eye is predicting that many punch drinkers will stagger about and insert their foot into their mouth before the night is over…" He had seen Seamus and Dean spiking the punch twenty minutes ago.

Padma just smiled even brighter, "Nice. See you around, Harry." She then left to get punch with a 'punch'. As Harry watched her leave, he wondered… Was she flirting?

Harry had been glancing at the map every few minutes. Dumbledore had left the castle, most of the other teachers were in their quarters. He was watching Umbridge. He knew Umbridge and her Inquisitors thought the party was beginning at 9PM. He started watching at 8:45 and the fireworks was a good distraction. He was becoming obsessed with watching for Umbridge and her followers - they would show up soon enough.

Five minutes after Padma walked off, he saw activity around Umbridge and her thugs. They were gathering near the Transfiguration classroom. Showtime.

Harry activated a Ward Stone that resulted in the lights suddenly starting to blink for thirty seconds. This was the Alarm he had Hermione set up. A few students ran out the side entrances… Katie and McLaggen immediately began helping students get through the trap doors on the stage floor. They had plenty of time. Slowly, he moved out of the commotion and stood off to the side. Harry activated a spell he had placed in a matrix and disillusioned himself. He saw a few people looking around for him, but after a bit, they assumed he had left. Hermione looked the longest, before climbing down through one of the trap doors. Katie was the last to leave, checking to make sure no one was left behind.

As both trap doors shut, Harry heard the students fading away. He pulled up a chair, cancelled his disillusionment, and carefully sat on it. He didn't want to lose his enchanted mat, so he just let the thorns scrape and tear the upholstery. And he waited… but he didn't have to wait long.

— **DoD—**

Professor Umbridge entered the Theatre that had been the scene of a party. There were cups and plates scattered about. Four tables held plenty of food which had to have come from the kitchen… She would personally present any elves that supplied food to this party with clothes. Judging by the leftovers and rubbish, this had obviously been a highly successful party. There must have been an advance warning, as there was only one student left at the scene. Harry Potter sat in the centre of the stage, smiling at her as she entered with her Inquisitors.

The boy must have thought he was untouchable… Here was her target, all alone and with a smile on his face. It was like a gift from Merlin. He truly had no idea what was about to happen. And because everyone had left, she didn't even have to separate him from the other students.

"Mr. Potter, it seems you've been quite busy. Have all your friends deserted you?"

The smarmy little Bastard looked at her and shrugged. "Parties always end sometime."

Most of her Inquisitors were climbing up the stairs on either side of the stage, wands in hand. Four had apparently left… good, they were a poor fit for what was to come. That left eight of her most reliable Inquisitors.

Dolores transfigured a few of the chairs into a set of stairs and a small platform about two feet higher than the stage. She refused to look up at Potter. With satisfaction, she climbed the stairs and stood on the platform looking down at Potter. Her platform was directly in front of the boy, about three feet from the stage he was seated on. She wanted to see the look on his face when he realised he was trapped.

Dolores cast a simple _**'Homenum Revelio'**_ to ensure no one else was in the theatre. She also scanned it for paintings… none where there. With a smile, she realised she had him right where she wanted him. No witnesses. All alone.

Smiling with a saccharinely sweet smile, she addressed her victim. "Mr. Potter, whatever will we do with you? Do you have any idea what a **'thorn'** in my shoe you have become?" Dolores enjoyed her little pun. By all reports, his condition was quite painful.

The boy looked inquisitively at her. "I think there's been a mistake. I'm not Harry Potter."

Dolores chuckled, "And who do you think you are?"

Potter looked up at her and said, "I'm Dolores Umbridge."

The Inquisitors around him started laughing.

Dolores laughed and shook her head. "But how can that be? You see, I'm Dolores Umbridge, and there's only one of me."

The boy suddenly adopted a near panicked look. "No! **I'M** Dolores Umbridge!" He suddenly looked around at the Inquisitors. They seemed amused.

"Oh, Mr. Potter. Such a fanciful imagination." It was time to end this. "I'm afraid I'll have to leave you with your friends. To see you safely back to your dorm now."

The boy suddenly yelled out, **"WAIT!"**

He was panicking. She would enjoy this. "Yes, Mr. Potter? Any… final words?"

She stared into his brilliant green eyes. They truly were striking. So entrancing. So full of… something. She could get lost in those eyes…

He called out, **"I'm Dolores Umbridge!"**

Dolores' world suddenly spun in a violent surge of vertigo. She had the sensation of falling into those eyes… Suddenly, she was sitting on the stage. Her inquisitors were all around her. Staring down at her from the platform she had transfigured was… a mirror image of herself.

" **Wait** ", she cried. "I'm Dolores Umbridge." She raised her wand preparing to cast a _'finite'_ to end this charade.

One of her Inquisitors shouted, _**"Expelliarmus"**_ _,_ and her wand flew across the stage.

Her mirror image was staring at her. Smiling.

"Well, _**Dolores**_ _"_ , her mirror image said her name mirthfully and mockingly. "I'll bid you adieu. Oh, one last thing… think about… Hedwig." The inquisitors were chuckling.

She now knew exactly who that was.

She began screaming, **"I'm Dolores Umbridge!"** She pointed at her imposter, **"That's Harry Potter! I'm Dolores Umbridge!"** She was near panicked. She had to get through to her followers… Harry Potter was in _her_ form and was leaving the Theatre.

One of her Inquisitors said, _ **"Petrificus Totalis!"**_ She was suddenly unable to move or speak. She remembered why she had chosen these students to be her Inquisitors. They were vicious and sadistic. No, not all… a few were chosen for their family connections. If she could get _**their**_ attention… Greengrass, Parkinson, Pucey, Bulstrode… She could only move her eyes… they weren't here. The four who left… no… oh, please… no…

As the inquisitors moved in, Dolores Umbridge thought of Harry Potters parting words. 'Hedwig'. This was his revenge… He had outmanoeuvred her… Now her nervousness was shifting to terror… She had a good idea of what was to come. For the first time in years, Dolores Umbridge began to pray.

— **DoD—**

Harry made his way to the room at the end of the hall with the linked cupboard. And Draco had practiced the 'Form Exchange' charm until Harry had it down. It was a complex spell and to Harry's knowledge hadn't been used in centuries. With eye contact and focused concentration, the caster switches places with the target in a contest of wills. As they switched, both were then covered with an illusion giving the appearance of the individual they were switching with. Harry didn't enjoy 'falling' into Umbridge's eyes, but worse things have happened.

The spell wasn't fool proof. A simple 'finite' charm would erase the illusion, and Umbridge almost accomplished that… But one of her own Inquisitors took care of the situation. Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map and noted everyone's position. The Inquisitors appeared to be surrounding Umbridge, likely hexing her. The four Inquisitors who left had congregated for a few moments and one split off. Daphne Greengrass was moving quickly toward the Dungeons but had quite a way to go. Parkinson, Pucey, and Bulstrode were heading the same way, but much slower.

The two main groups of students from the party that exited through the trap doors were winding about in the sub level, but not quickly. They were trying to be quiet and unobtrusive. He had perhaps fifteen minutes before they reached the area near his other linked cupboard. Daphne Greengrass was almost certainly going to get Snape… That would take time. The dungeons were far away, and the halls were mostly deserted. He disillusioned himself once more and just watched. Timing was critical.

Harry noted that some of the Inquisitors were gathered around Umbridge, but a few had moved to the food tables. Apparently, they were a bit peckish…

— **DoD—**

**************Violence Warning**************

**I'm inserting this in so you can skip ahead to the section marked as the end of the violence warning.**

Dolores Umbridge was no longer paralysed, but she was stretched out face down on the floor. It was some version of the Incarcerous spell, but it was designed to stretch the victim as if they were on the rack. Her clothes were painfully burned right off her body. She struggled to breathe, let alone scream. Some of the Inquisitors were using minor curses to inflict painful burns and small, but brutal wounds all over her… it was more painful than anything she had ever experienced… and they were just getting started.

One of her Inquisitors said, "We need to work fast. Don't Fuck around. We have fifteen minutes… maybe less." It sounded like Warrington. "No Unforgivable Curses, it might alert Dumbledore. Everything else is fair game… Potter needs to be eliminated, but we can break him first."

CRACK! She felt white hot pain across her back. Someone had conjured a whip. CRACK! Someone who knew how to use it. He skin was being taken off in strips. CRACK... CRACK! Two whips now.

CRACK!... CRACK!... CRACK!... She passed out from the pain, only to be awakened by a 'Rennervate' reviving charm. It sounded like Montague and Warrington.

Dolores was begging…

"I'm not Potter… I'm not Potter…" Her voice was broken and meek… desperate… If only those Dementors had done the job…

— **DoD—**

Daphne Greengrass had been so used to Umbridge failing to catch Diggory and Granger's study group, she had been shocked to find Potter alone in the old Theatre. Shocked and terrified. She knew Umbridge had it in for him… Daphne didn't want to see anyone victimised by those vicious Inquisitors. Even Potter didn't deserve that. Pansy, Adrian, and Millie didn't want any part of this either. They left quietly, when Umbridge was taunting Potter and the others were getting into position. Down the hall and around a corner, they congregated. Daphne suggested getting Professor Snape, but the others refused, saying they didn't want to be connected to any of this.

After a moment's hesitation, Daphne took off in a run to find her Head of House. She sprinted across the castle and ran toward Professor Snape's office. She didn't know who else to go to. It took her far longer to reach his office than she had hoped… Hopefully she wasn't too late.

When she finally reached his door, she banged loudly on it with both fists. "Professor Snape! Professor Snape!" She was completely out of breath and struggling to breathe. Her side ached from the running.

After a few seconds, Professor Snape threw open the door, he looked both irritated and alarmed. It wasn't every day a student went banging on his door. "What is it, Miss Greengrass?"

"It's Potter, sir... Umbridge and the… Inquisitors have him alone… in the old Theatre… In the west side… of the castle… I think they mean… to hurt him… maybe even... kill him…"

Severus Snape suddenly looked alarmed.

Daphne leant on the doorway and was holding her side, trying to catching her breath. She saw her head of house cast a Corporeal Patronus of a Doe and sent it away with a message. Before he rushed out, he stopped and looked at her.

"Stay here. Don't. Touch. _Anything_ …" He then sprinted off in the direction she had travelled.

— **DoD—**

After the flogging had shredded her back, someone modified the charm holding Dolores and she was flipped over. Dolores winced as her injured back was lain on the rough floor. Her arms were still stretched painfully above her head. Someone was removing the flesh from her fingers… not just skin, but muscle and tendons… leaving only bone. She was screaming with what little energy she had… until Warrington waved his wand over her mouth and ripped her tongue out.

" _Rennervate!"_ Another reviving charm was used to keep her conscious. She stared up and saw her own intestines. She had been slit open and her insides were levitated up. They were cursed and were withering away into blackened husks. They were then forced back into her and her torso was closed and sealed. It was beyond excruciating.

The Carrow sisters then knelt on either side of her head. Dolores had always liked the twins for their sadistic nature, but now she was terrified. They each had a small jar filled with a clear liquid. One of them touched their wand to her neck and she suddenly couldn't move her head.

Waving their wands over her face, Dolores gurgled as she felt unbelievable pressure behind her eyes… until they popped out of her head. The twins snipped them free of the connecting tissues and veins and levitated the eyes into their jars. They had their souvenirs. Dolores numbly felt her eye sockets being scourgified and packed with salt. _"Rennervate!"_ Another reviving charm was applied. She heard the sisters discussing how pretty Potter's eyes were.

Francine Rowle held her wand over Dolores Umbridge's face and whispered a spell. A tiny pencil thin black mass took shape and surged into the High Inquisitors nose. The woman began thrashing about in horrific pain. Francine's family had perfected this terrible curse long before the Cruciatus had been developed. It would pierce eyes, noses, ears, etc. and cause excruciating pain. Unlike the Cruciatus, it ate away tissue in an unbelievably painful manner. From the inside out.

After Francine cast her spell, the others knew their victim was as good as done. Eager to get the last bits of payback out of the person they thought was Harry Potter, the flogging began on the front of Umbridge's body. CRACK!... CRACK!... CRACK!... Dolores had no strength left and could only whimper and moan. The whips were nothing compared to the curse eating away at her face from the inside out. Mercifully, her sanity finally cracked, and she sunk into the gentle embrace of madness.

Warrington checked the time and realized he had to get on with it. "Turn him over… Alright Potter, it's time for the 'Blood Eagle'*.

Warrington began the process with a few well-placed cutting curses. He noted the lack of resistance as he cut through the ribs attaching to the spine. He surmised that Potter's mind had finally snapped. Peeling back the ribs, he exposed the lungs on one side. He shifted his wand and prepared to repeat the process on the other side. Just then, Potter's image shimmered and shifted… He was now staring down at the mutilated form of Dolores Umbridge…

There was a collective gasp. Everything seemed to slow down. What the hell had just happened?

The door flew open and Severus Snape charged in, wand out. He came to a sudden stop and stared in shock. A mutilated body on the blood-stained floor… Inquisitors standing around it… and a few just partaking from a table filled with snacks. He wondered how on earth he had become the head of a house full of sadistic sociopaths. The he remembered his own initiation into the Deatheaters.

Marlene McKinnon was never far from his thoughts...

But these monsters… they were helping themselves to cakes and pastries.

Just then, Albus Dumbledore arrived at the scene via Phoenix fire.

— **DoD—**

**************End Violence Warning**************

**Moments Earlier**

Harry saw Snape rapidly approaching the Theatre. The gig was up. Whatever the Inquisitors had done, it would have to be enough. Likely, there would be broken bones and a few cursed scars… Whatever Umbridge had planned for him had now been done to her. Assuming no one had wised up and cast a _'Finite'_ on her. It had been about ten minutes… maybe more. A lot could happen in ten minutes. He ended the illusion and stepped into the cupboard. He sat calmly in the cupboard wishing he could see the looks on the faces of the Inquisitors. Maybe now Umbridge would go after them…

He counted to three and opened the cupboard door again. He then stepped out on the other side of the castle… He was now at the cupboard linked classroom in the sub level. Turning, he closed the door and cancelled the connection between the two cupboards. Satisfied, he looked at the map and checked the players. He noted that Dumbledore had suddenly arrived From wherever he had been, and it was sheer chaos in the Theatre.

He then found his current location. One of the groups of students sneaking away from the party had almost reached the entrance of the room he was waiting in. This was the 'Cedric' led group. The hall was dark enough so that he could join them once they passed the room which he was in.

After about two minutes, Harry heard them approaching. He put away the map and prepared himself. The sub level was dark and there were about thirty students in the group. He cast the Anonymous charm from his matrix and waited. After they passed his location, he carefully slipped out into the corridor and caught up with them. After another minute, they came up the stairs and into the Great Hall. Harry ended his 'Anonymous' charm and mingled about with the other students. He was beginning to like Illusionist magic almost as much as he liked Elemental magic. It was less direct, but extremely useful.

A few of the students seemed surprised to see him, but most just assumed he had been there all along. Alibi complete. They then noticed another thirty or forty students entering the Great Hall from the other direction. Harry made a point to wave to Ron and Hermione. Hermione seemed especially relieved to see him. Katie did too. Most of the Gryffindor Quidditch team was there and seemed to group up. Small cliques were forming. Harry suddenly felt alone. Alone in a crowd.

Then the Divination Duo came up to him.

Lavender smiled, "That was an AMAZING party, Harry."

Parvati agreed, "People will talk about it for years. Thanks for letting us help plan it!"

"Thanks guys… I'm glad you liked it." He then smirked and said, "I told you I'd be nicer." They both laughed. If not for the thorns, they probably would have hugged him.

Padma came over and stood beside her sister. They had apparently gotten separated. "Parv, are you alright?"

Parvati hugged her sister. "All good, here. We stuck together." She included Harry in the 'we'. Lavender nodded. Harry just stayed quiet. The four of them found a table and sat down. Hermione and Ron soon joined them. Now Harry just needed to wait.

— **DoD—**

**The Great Hall**

**10:45 PM**

The Great Hall was full of the students that had left Harry's party. Soon, the Hogwarts House Elves began to fear they had missed a dinner, or a party and food started to appear. Lavender stood up on a table and announce the beginning of an 'after party for the after-OWL party'… In a weird way, it made sense.

A few people began filtering back to their dorms, but Harry stayed near the crowd. He wanted to make sure he was remembered as part of the scene. After about twenty minutes, a distressed looking McGonagall came in and abruptly ended the party, sending everyone back to their dorms. She cast a long hard look at Harry. There was suspicion there. Soon Filius Flitwick joined her. He also looked shaken.

McGonagall called harry out. "Mr. Potter, please remain behind."

Lavender and Parvati looked at each other. "We're staying too, Professor. We helped with the party."

Several other students also refused to leave. Harry had expected the students to provide an alibi of his whereabouts, but this was… more than expected. A few students snuck off, but most actually stayed. Katie and Cedric stepped forward looking quite determined.

Cedric said, "Professor, most of us knew he was having a party and we stayed by him. Harry may have planned it, but we're all a part of this."

Katie said, "Professor, If Harry gets punished, so should we all." After a second, she added, "Quite frankly, we're sick of the way things have been going. Between Umbridge and her Inquisitors… I'm not taking it anymore. And I don't think I'm just talking for myself."

Other people were murmuring similar sentiments. Ron said something about fireworks, Hermione was quoting something about OWL and NEWT parties being a tradition. The volume was rising steadily, and both professors seemed nervous. Harry realised this was about to get out of hand. Had there ever been a student riot at Hogwarts before? The strain of the Inquisitors must have really gotten to them all. Even the Hufflepuffs looked ready to throw down. Harry could feel the anger and frustration coming out. He may not have caused it, but he was the catalyst.

This was so much like the Declaration of Eiectio, but in reverse. Harry felt odd knowing that people he could barely look at were standing beside him. For a change. Reaching across his body and clasped his arm. He intentionally pierced his hand on his own thorns. No emotions now. _**Focus!**_

Albus Dumbledore came striding in and held his wand to his throat. **"SILENCE!"** The force of his Sonorous-enhanced voice rattled the room. Harry rolled his eyes. Show Off. Everyone became quiet.

The Headmaster then addressed the crowd. "All students will return to their dorms immediately. Mr. Potter, Miss Bell, Mr. McLaggen… and Mr. Malfoy will remain."

Harry spoke up, "Draco's not here, Professor."

Dumbledore looked right at Harry. This was not the twinkling gaze of 'Grandfather Albus'. "Where is he?"

Harry met his eyes and snapped up his occlumency. "In his dorm." Harry then asked, "Should I summon my Solicitor?" Under his breath, Harry said, "Asshole."

Albus never faltered. "Yes." He held his gaze long enough that Harry knew he heard him. Harry brought up his full Occlumency and stared at the Headmaster. He put every bit of his anger and resentment into the stare.

No one left. It was dead silent. Harry and the Headmaster were still staring at each other, neither willing to break eye contact. McGonagall stepped in front of Dumbledore and whispered something. She effectively ended the stare down.

Harry then approached the people most determined and said. "Thank you all for coming to the Party. I'll see you in the morning." He honestly did not want to incite a riot. Then he added. "Thank you…" He surprised himself by meaning it. Draco's comment about fighting a war alone resonated in the back of his mind. Harry even thanked Cedric.

Hermione was the most reluctant to leave, but he assured her it'd be alright.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Office**

**Friday, June 21, 1996**

**Around 2AM**

Harry had summoned his lawyer and Andromeda. Harry gave Mr. Felder the abbreviated version of events and was advised to stay absolutely silent. Andromeda seemed irritated that he had acted out but impressed with how he accomplished it. Narcissa was also present since Draco was somehow included in the request for a statement. Entering the Headmasters office, Harry noted Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and Amelia Bones.

Mr. Felder planned to meet Harry tomorrow to review the events in detail. Dolores Umbridge was high enough at the Ministry to ensure a hearing at the very least. Harry's actions could be considered enough to make him an accessory. Today's meeting would be simple enough, though. Since the will reading, Harry had shared quite a bit about the various parties at Hogwarts, so Mr. Felder felt keenly prepared. The Headmaster and the Potion Master had enough skeletons to ensure their silence. Madam Bones was an ally whether she wanted to be or not.

The Headmaster stood up and beckoned Harry, Andromeda, Draco, Narcissa, and Mr. Felder to take a seat. Harry noted the room was now very cramped. Harry looked about and took a good reading of the room. It was unbelievably grim. Even Snape seemed preoccupied.

Mr. Felder did what he was paid for. "Surely we're not here to discuss Heir Potter's party. Let's get on with this. What are you accusing my client of now?"

Amelia looked extremely irritated. "A Ministry official and a part of the Hogwarts Faculty was horrifically assaulted after Mr. Potter's party. We need to understand what happened."

Mr. Felder pleasantly responded with, "My client maintains that he didn't assault anyone. He didn't even have a wand."

Dumbledore looked conflicted, but asked, "May we check Mr. Malfoy's wand?"

Mr. Felder chuckled, "So now you think Mr. Malfoy assaulted your teacher? Perhaps someone should make popcorn, I always enjoy a snack at a Circus."

Snape spat out, "This is no laughing matter! Cease your ignorant prattle!"

Mr Felder looked back at Snape. "Be very careful how you address me, Deatheater." There was no pretense of professionalism.

Amelia Bones stopped the conflict before it could begin. "Mr. Malfoy, will you kindly acquiesce to having your wand checked? We need to rule out all possible… We need to rule out the use of your wand."

Draco quietly handed his wand to the Madam Bones. She cast ' _Priori Incantatem'_ and noted no malicious castings. She also noted it had not been cleared.

Satisfied, she handed the wand back. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. There's nothing suspicious on your wand." Harry noted Snape relaxed a bit. GIT. He was willing to accuse him, but not Draco.

Mr. Felder asked, "Can you fill us in on this assault?" His question was directed toward Madam Bones.

Amelia addressed the Solicitor. "Undersecretary Umbridge was assaulted in the West Theatre shortly after the party Mr. Potter hosted had broken up. Her injuries were extensive and horrific."

Mr. Felder knew everything Harry knew, so he knew what to ask. "Were the perpetrators caught?"

Amelia nodded. "They were. But they all have stated your client's involvement."

Mr. Felder asked, "Were their wands checked?"

Normally, Amelia would never allow this much dialogue in an interrogation. But her magic was requiring it. The damn tier one alliance penalties… Where Harry Potter was concerned, she had an Elephant that she could either ride or attempt to carry.

Amelia said, "Yes. There is no doubt their wands were used…"

Mr. Felder slapped the table. "Hold up a moment, you said this occurred _**after**_ the party… My client was with his friends. Dozens of witnesses will, without a doubt, attest to this."

Snape hissed out, "He. Was. Involved."

Mr. Felder gave a theatrical look of confusion. "So, my client, the Heir of an Ancient and MOST Noble house, somehow managed to run around casting spells from other people's wands. While they stood there and watched. Then he miraculously teleported through anti-Apparition wards and joined his friends in the Great Hall. Friends who were only guilty of attending an after-OWL party. Something that _**used to be**_ an annual tradition at Hogwarts. Did I miss anything?"

Dumbledore handed the Solicitor a sheet of paper. "This is the list of injuries sustained by Undersecretary Umbridge." Mr. Felder struggled to hide his shock at the list of injuries. Harry had assumed they were only hexing and jinxing the woman.

Harry held out his hand. After a moment's hesitation, Mr. Felder handed it to his client. He had a good idea how the young man would react, and he wanted the others to see Harry's reaction.

Harry looked it over and struggled for breath. He had no idea they would go this far… Did even Dolores Umbridge deserve this? This is what they had planned for him! Did Umbridge or anyone one deserve this? Maybe… but he'd rather not have been the instigator… my god. She's not expected to survive… That might even be a blessing…

When he looked up, the shock was written all over his face. "I… this is awful…"

Dumbledore asked, "Harry, did you have anything to do with this?"

Mr. Felder answered immediately, preventing Harry from giving anything away. " **Absolutely NOT!** My client left the party and was witnessed by dozens of people. You have your perpetrators and you need to focus on them! Heir Black is being targeted by those animals because his Godfather, Sirius Black, bankrupted numerous families with connections to Voldemort. A few of whom are related to the vicious criminals that attacked Undersecretary Umbridge." Mr. Felder had regurgitated this as fast as he could clearly speak and in a loud enough tone that he was not interrupted.

Amelia Bones stated, "All avenues must be investigated, Mr. Felder." She was not used to dealing with such open contempt and disrespect.

Mr. Felder gave her a cunning look and said, "Maybe you should be investigating Dolores Umbridge and why these students wanted her dead. Starting with her use of a Blood Quill during detentions."

Harry realised the man was pulling out all stops. Harry had shared everything Hermione and Ginny had told him about Umbridge, and Mr. Felder was now using it to shield him. It bought Harry a minute to get himself back together. Had he admitted to having anything to do with the crime, this conversation would now be going very differently. It paid to have a good solicitor on the payroll.

Amelia Bones looked at Dumbledore. "A Blood Quill? Is this true?"

Dumbledore looked off balance… Harry realised the man didn't know…

Mr. Felder shook his head in an exaggerated manner. "Perhaps, Madam Bones, you should broaden your net. Heir Black's friends have reported detentions where students were forced to write lines with a Blood Quill. I have no doubt you took Oaths and Vows when you accepted your position. It would be a shame if anyone came to see you as an… Oath Breaker." There was the threat.

A long and painful silence followed.

Madam Bones took a deep breath. "Perhaps Mr. Potter should head back to his Dorm and prepare for his final examination. If we have any more questions…"

Mr. Felder finished her sentence, "You'll contact **me**."

Severus Snape had heard enough. Looking at Madam Bones, he exploded. "You can't just dismiss this! There's more here and you know it!"

Mr. Felder ignored Snape and addressed Madam Bones. "Madam Bones. If a person passes on knowledge to a known murderer that results in the deaths of a Noble Heir and an Ancient and Noble Heir, is that a crime?"

Madam Bones cut her eyes at the Solicitor, wondering what he was up to. "Of course it is. Where are you going with this, Felder?" She so desperately wanted to shut him down… But couldn't.

The solicitor smiled and asked, "What if said information came from a Prophesy?"

Amelia Bones was a cunning Witch, she knew the solicitor was sending message. But her magic was directing her to let this play out. "That would be… complicated."

Mr. Felder nodded and noted that both Dumbledore and Snape looked wound tight. "I wonder if Madam Longbottom would think it complicated."

Harry felt like cheering. He had asked Mr. Felder months ago if Snape could be prosecuted. Apparently, prophesies were not admissible, and it would be impossible to prosecute Snape for passing on the prophesy he had overheard to Voldemort. Especially after Dumbledore had spoken for him. But Madam Longbottom was on the Board of Hogwarts. And then there was public opinion to consider.

Amelia had heard enough, "Mr. Felder, if you wish to bring charges, come to the Ministry. Otherwise, stop wasting my time."

Harry noted that the message had been received, and not by Madam Bones. Snape and Dumbledore were now noticeably quiet.

Minerva McGonagall finally spoke up. "Madam Umbridge was a bully and a sadist. If she was using a Blood Quill in detentions… well, I won't be shedding any tears for the repugnant woman. Now. I wish to get a little sleep before sunrise."

The meeting broke up and everyone filtered out.

Mr. Felder pulled his clients into an abandoned conference room and cast a privacy charm.

Mr. Felder wasted no time. "Heir Black. Do not speak of this to anyone. If asked for information, refer them to me. It was clear from your reaction that you had no idea Umbridge's followers would commit such atrocities. Just remember, they would have done it to you. Heir Malfoy, the same need to say nothing applies to you as well."

Harry nodded. "Yes sir." Looking at Andromeda, he faltered a bit. "I'm sorry, Andromeda… I had no idea… I swear I would never…"

Andromeda was understandably shaken at the list of injuries Umbridge had sustained. "Hadrian… Harry… all you did was switch places with a sadistic sociopath. She _**literally**_ created her own punishment. Hold your head high and know that, had Dolores Umbridge acted as a teacher, nothing would have happened to her."

Harry nodded. "Thank you…"

Andromeda was strong for Harry, but she was shaken. It was starting again… the horrors of the late 1970's. She had to prepare. She had to make sure Harry never faltered or hesitated. No, this was nothing to be proud of, but it felt like justice.

— **DoD—**

Amelia and Dumbledore were the last occupants in Albus' office. They were both silent for at least a minute. There was a tension in the air. They had both seen crimes like this before… but never perpetrated by students at Hogwarts.

"Albus, did you see Mr. Potter's reaction? He's not capable of faking a reaction like that."

"Yes, Amelia. That was the reaction of someone who had never seen sadistic violence. Violence like we saw in the last war." Grimly, he added, "Harry Potter is a terrible liar, it's one of his best qualities. I must confess that I was relieved."

Amelia gave the Headmaster a quiet stare. "You know there is little hard evidence to pursue here. My Aurors have conducted their interviews with his friends and Mr. Potter has an ironclad alibi. There were no signs of potions or the use of the Imperious curse on the Inquisitors... Pending the interrogations, this appears to be an open and shut case."

Albus Dumbledore agreed, "Mr. Potter seems to be completely innocent. But he knows more than he's saying. I have no doubt he somehow influenced the events. He simply had no idea how far it would go."

Amelia winced; she came to the same conclusion. "Fudge will be alerted in the morning. I expect he will demand action. This will get ugly."

"Then, Amelia, we must be ready for it. While I have suspicions Mr. Potter had some minor part in the events, I also have no doubt he would never have allowed something like this to occur."

Amelia wasn't so sure. Umbridge had harassed him and killed his Familiar. She was also the prime suspect in the investigation of the Godric's Hollow Dementor assassination attempt. Perhaps now, Fudge will let her do her job and investigate the Dementor attack. She needed something to distract the minister. She expected circumstantial evidence to come out of the interrogations of the perpetrators.

"Albus, I'll be looking into the Blood Quill accusations. Immediately." She wanted to gather the evidence before Fudge wakes up and can prevent the investigation.

The Headmaster gave a long and appraising look. "Amelia, if the accusations are true… It could very well ruin Minister Fudge." Albus knew it wouldn't reflect well on him either.

Amelia simply smiled. She was counting on it. Fudge needed to be removed. She would shield Albus as much as possible, but he should have stepped in.

"Headmaster, please take me to Dolores Umbridge's Office."

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Home School Conference Room**

**5AM**

Harry was sitting on his bed whispering to his familiar. She was resting inside 'her' bag. Selene and Hecate were awake, but Artemis was sound asleep. Draco was also awake and was too wound up to sleep. In five hours, the Muggle Studies exam would begin. Draco wasn't taking it, but Harry had planned to. After debating whether to show up, Harry decided to just grab a few hours of sleep, take the exam, and crash afterward.

After reading the things that had been done to Umbridge, Harry was feeling extremely conflicted. He couldn't help but feel guilty… even knowing that she had planned for him to be in her shoes. He had shared the details with Draco and was surprised to find that the other teen had not been shocked. Obviously, Draco had seen or heard of this kind of brutality before. Harry then recalled who had been living at the Malfoy Manor over the Holidays.

Draco tried to reassure him. "Harry, you couldn't have known they'd go that far. I'm only glad you got that switching spell right. Imagine if you hadn't!"

Harry agreed. "I just don't see how they thought they could get away with it…"

Draco already knew. He had seen and heard of similar actions and tactics used by Deatheaters. Used by… his father.

"Harry, they never planned for anyone to know. You would have just… disappeared. Transfiguration can be used to dispose of bodies." Getting Harry's attention, Draco added, "Now we know what we're dealing with. Please, no more stupid risks."

Harry thought for a moment. "Do you think Fudge will come after me?"

Draco debated whether to be honest… "He'll try. But we stick with the story. The evidence is definitely on your side so no one can force a Veritaserum interrogation."

Harry tried not to think about Fudge. For all his oddities, the Minister was savvy. Cunning too. Harry was suddenly realising just how tired he was. Exhausted.

A timid voice then called his name. "Harry?"

Harry looked over and saw Billy Corbin. Draco made an irritated noise.

Harry was in no mood to generate bad Karma. "Hi Billy. Say… how did you get up the stairs?"

Billy shrugged. "Enchanted chair. It's required for Hogwarts… what with all the steps."

Harry suddenly realised how silly his question was. "What's up, Billy? Other than all of us… It's almost morning."

"I just want that autograph." He added, "If you don't mind…"

Harry smiled. The kid was tenacious. His familiar had fallen asleep in his lap.

The book handed Harry a small book and a quill.

Harry asked, "What should I write?" Draco was smirking at him.

"Just your name, please. Thanks Harry." The kid looked embarrassed and kind of sad. Draco's attitude didn't help.

Harry tried to write. It was dry. "Ummm, do you have any ink?"

Billy produced another one, "I think this one's good."

Harry tried… nope. "Draco, do you have a quill?"

Draco laughed obnoxiously. "Get your own quill, glory hound."

Billy pulled out a muggle pen. "Do you mind using a muggle pen?"

Harry took it "Not at all, Billy." It was a retractable pen with a 'clicker' on the back. Harry just wanted to get this over with and maybe get a little sleep.

Harry set the journal open and clicked the pen.

He suddenly felt a pull near his navel and the world began spinning.

Draco bolted upright… Harry was gone.

Billy Corbin just kept saying "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

To be continued.

**Next Chapter: Hair of the Dog.**

**Notes**

***The Blood Eagle was a Viking torture where the ribs are cut away from the spine and pulled back, exposing the lungs. It's a brutal way to kill someone and many historians believe it was so horrible it might not have occurred.**

**I borrowed a few 'Illusionist' spells from the Earthdawn world setting. The first was the 'Best Face' spell which I modified and converted to the 'Anonymous' charm. The second was the 'Form Exchange' spell which allowed an illusionist to switch places with a target and conceal the switch with an illusion. This was what Harry did to Umbridge. Finally, the 'Other Place' spell allowed an illusionist to temporarily link two doorways up to a mile apart. It reminded me of a Vanishing Cabinet, I made use of it as Harry's evacuation and alibi plan.**

**When Harry took the pen, he was distracted by the day's events, tired from lack of sleep, and annoyed that the first two quills didn't work. He should have sensed he enchantments, but the above factors were enough to make him let down his guard. He's human. Those of you who have read Casting Shadows know how paranoid he is in future years… with good reason.**

**Next chapter will be combat heavy. It will take me a bit longer than normal to write.**


	37. Chapter 37

— **Dance of Death 37—**

**In the last chapter, Harry set up Umbridge and had her cursed by her own Inquisitors. He was disturbed at how far they had taken things… While hanging around in his dorm, Billy Corbin approached him for his autograph. Reluctantly, he agreed, only to find the pen he was handed was a portkey.**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.**

**FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories. Many of the spells in this chapter are from the Earthdawn setting, I just put a Latin name on them.**

' _Bombarda!_ ' = Silently cast

" _ **Bombarda!"**_ **= Verbally cast**

" _ **§Example of Parseltongue.§"**_

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

— **Dance of Death 37—**

**Chapter 37: Hair of the Dog**

**Ministry of Magic**

**Department of Magical Law Enforcement**

**Director Amelia Bones Office**

**June 21, 1996**

**Friday 3AM**

Amelia Bones was exhausted. The investigation at Hogwarts had been harrowing. She had to investigate the horrific torture and mutilation of Dolores Umbridge. Without a doubt, Harry Potter was somehow involved, but there was no hard evidence… and her own magic was forcing her to avoid pressing charges. Amelia was not about to risk becoming a squib for the likes of Dolores Umbridge.

Speaking of Dolores, she was in possession of multiple Blood Quills and which appeared to have been used as a form of punishment. She had Pius Thicknesse and John Dawlish collecting the evidence now. The woman was far worse than anyone thought. Now that she was gone, the students were beginning to share stories of abuse at her hands, and the hands of her Inquisitors. How had things gotten so bad? A knock at her door forced her out of her deliberations.

"Enter."

The door opened to see Rufus Scrimgeour, the head of the Aurors. With him were Robards and Williamson, two of his senior Aurors. These were the two Aurors that had managed the interrogations of the suspects in the Umbridge case. The one where she was the victim.

Amelia noted a look of irritation on Rufus' face. "Gentlemen, what can I do for you? Make it quick, I'm exhausted."

Rufus pursed his lips. Amelia knew this wasn't good. "Madam Bones, the initial interrogations are complete. All the students caught in the act have been interrogated and each perpetrator independently confessed to the crime. But there is one commonality that is present in every interrogation… They all consistently maintain that Potter tricked them. Every. Single. Interrogation."

Rufus then handed eight files to Madam Bones. One for each interview. The ones where a Solicitor was present were significantly thinner, but they were all complete.

Amelia glanced at the files, then looked up. "Rufus, I'm as tired as you are. Please, get to the point."

Amelia knew Rufus well enough to know he didn't like what he was about to say. "Madam Bones, we think there is enough evidence to bring Harry Potter in for a formal interrogation." Amelia glanced at Robards and Williamson, they looked determined.

Amelia settled back in her chair. "No." She could feel her own magic exerting pressure on her. The moment she said the word 'No', it settled down.

Rufus crinkled his brow, "Amelia, be reasonable. What harm would it do to bring him in for an interrogation?"

Amelia was tired… She really wanted to get some sleep. "Rufus, I have multiple witnesses that say he was not at the scene. Multiple student statements to this effect. He had no wand and the perpetrators were caught in the act. They had no signs of either the Imperius curse or influence of any potions. I personally interviewed him. Are you implying that I'm not competent?"

Rufus looked suspiciously at her, "An interview and an interrogation are quite different. We've detained and interrogated others on less than this. Interrogations that evidence resulting in convictions."

Amelia had been waiting for that. "Yes. Like Sirius Black. How _proud_ you must feel." She knew Rufus had been on the scene when Sirius was apprehended all those years ago. It was a cheap shot, but she was tired.

Rufus looked like he had been struck. "That's a low blow Amelia. This is _nothing_ like that and you know it." Now her Head Auror was irritated. Amelia and Rufus had a moment where they were just glaring at each other.

Williamson took the silent moment to speak his mind. "Madam Bones, with all due respect, there is a commonality here that _cannot_ be discarded. We know how to bring out details in an interrogation and I'm one hundred percent certain Potter was somehow involved. Let us investigate this fully. The use of Polyjuice alone could explain…"

Amelia slammed her hand down on her desk. "No. If you want to investigate something, go back and investigate who set the Dementor trap in Godric's Hollow. Go and investigate the _murder_ of Potter's Familiar. Go and investigate how _Rita Skeeter_ got dirt on so many people. Tell me why no one is investigating any of this?"

Rufus no longer looked irritated. He looked uncomfortable. "Amelia… you know we can't look further into those events. The Minister has…"

Amelia snapped. "I don't care what that son of a bitch says! He's just looking for an excuse to prosecute Potter and **I'm not giving it to him**. If he wants to go after an innocent boy, he'll have to go through me. And let me assure all of you _boys_ , the Bones family is far more powerful than he thinks."

Amelia noted the Aurors were all looking nervous and off balance. Williamson took a step backwards.

She was done. "Now get the **hell** out of my office. We can discuss the case in the morning, but I'm done for the day." When no one moved, she yelled " **OUT!** " The three men reluctantly turned to leave her office. Rufus followed his Aurors, but instead of leaving, he closed the door and walked back to Amelia and took a seat.

Amelia recognised this was now a conversation between old friends. "Say what you have to say, Rufus."

"Amelia, I don't like this any more than you do. I for one believe You-Know-Who is back, and the minister has his head in the sand. But we can't ignore the facts in this case. If Potter was somehow behind this… That would mean he _manipulated_ eight other students into removing someone that was standing in his way. You know as well as I do that all Dark Wizards start out this way. A small action here… A minor manipulation there…" Seeing Amelia was about to interrupt, Rufus held up his hand. "Please Amelia, hear me out."

Amelia and Rufus were friends. She'd give him his moment. "Continue Rufus. But please, be concise."

"If Potter is guilty of somehow manipulating the events to remove Dolores Umbridge, he's on a dangerous and dark path. The interrogators all admitted that Umbridge wanted him out of the way. The ones _without solicitors_ admitted to thinking they were torturing Potter… This isn't that complicated. Imperious and Polyjuice. Perhaps a memory charm or two… That's all it would take."

Amelia knew Rufus was right. She also knew _he knew_ he was right. This was a textbook case of identifying an emerging Dark Wizard _before_ he gained power. But she had seen Potter's reaction when he read the injuries Umbridge had received. There was no way to fake that. And she had the pressure from the tier one alliance penalties weighing heavily on her… Her own magic…

"Rufus, I saw Potter's reaction to Dolores' injuries. He was horrified. That boy cannot lie or fake a reaction to save his life… He was _genuinely_ shocked!" Rufus looked somewhat relieved at hearing that. "Additionally, I checked every wand and there were no signs of Imperius… Nor any other Unforgivables."

Rufus looked somewhat sceptical. Amelia knew he was wondering if there was a hidden wand somewhere. That's what she would be wondering as well.

She continued, "Casting an Unforgivable at Hogwarts would alert the Wards… I don't see the level of manipulation you're implying without the Imperius. We both know what Fudge would do the minute he had a finger hold. Potter would be in Azkaban within thirty minutes. He'd manipulate the press and all hell would break loose." She didn't mention the possible use of Imperius in Hogsmeade.

Rufus sat quietly. "I don't like this Amelia. Robards and Williamson are convinced Potter is just as guilty as the students we apprehended. More guilty, in fact. Having a Runespoor for a Familiar isn't helping the boy's image."

Amelia grimaced. She knew his Familiar would come up. "Robards and Williamson have no hard evidence to support their theory. Consider that Potter still has supporters. Powerful supporters. Most already believe, rightly so I'll add, that the Minister is slandering him for political reasons. They _**would**_ fight for him. Are you ready to go against Albus Dumbledore? Not the eccentric Headmaster, but the Battle Wizard that even You-Know-Who feared?" she let that sink in for a moment. "Then there's all the families of the children that Umbridge abused. Yes, Rufus, it's all coming out now. And it is not good. Would you like to lay odds on who set up the Dementor trap and killed Potters Familiar?"

Seeing her old friend hesitate, Amelia sat back and waited.

Rufus was looking conflicted, but said, "I still don't like it. Three drops of Veritaserum…"

Amelia shook her head. "Rufus, you know you can't force Veritaserum. Potter's attorney would destroy you. It would be the end of your career. **You** would end up in Azkaban." She emphasised the last part. She'd personally see to it… she was done fucking around. A war was about to start, and people needed to decide where their loyalties were.

Rufus grimaced. He knew there wasn't enough evidence to force a trial. He also knew he couldn't use Veritaserum on a minor without a Ministry approved order. Given Potter was now the Heir to an Ancient and Most Noble family… even that wouldn't work. But he and his men thought they could break or trip him up in an interrogation. But they would need Amelia's support, and they weren't getting it. Could Fudge override her? Did he really want him to? A political battle between Fudge and Amelia would be brutal.

Amelia recognised the need to reassure her friend. "Rufus, again, I saw the boy's face when he read what had been done. I'm telling you; he was unprepared. When 'You-Know-Who' surfaces, do you want to be the one who helped put Potter away?" Before Rufus could answer, she added, "The Minister is corrupt and most his crimes will come out. He will be held accountable and he'll take dozens down with him. You and I both know he'll throw you, and anyone else he can, to the wolves if it keeps him in power."

Rufus sighed, "I hope you're right about Potter, Amelia. My team wants answers. The minister will fight you. Don't underestimate Cornelius Fudge." After a slight pause, "I won't challenge you on this… But if you're proven wrong, you'll be on your own."

Rufus then stood up and quietly left her office.

After he left, Amelia sat quietly for a good ten minutes. It was time to prepare. Fudge and half the Aurors were going to come at her in the morning. All looking for blood. Potter's blood. But she would refuse to bend. She would cut down her enemies and protect her allies.

She was a Bones.

— **Dance of Death 37—**

**Somewhere Else**

**Friday, June 21, 1996**

**5 AM**

When Harry landed, he knew immediately what had happened. A portkey. Nonononono! He clicked the retractable pen again… nothing. And again… Still nothing. He heard his familiar talking… He pulled the bag she was in across his shoulder and chest and investigated it.

" _§…What was that…? …What…? …How did…? Where are we…? …Harry…? §"_

Three small heads came out of the bag. Use of a portkey was not a good way to be woken up. Artemis looked ready to strike.

Harry whispered back, _"§ Shhhhhhh. We've been kidnapped. Stay quiet and I'll get us out of here…§"_

Shite! He'd been distracted and exhausted… What was he thinking? He knew better! Looking around, he adjusted his vision to that of an owl. He was in a large building… Magic was thick… Everywhere… All around him were towering shelves full of small, fist sized glass globes.

Harry suddenly felt an immense amount of anger toward Billy for setting him up. The little shite! No good deed… And then there's Dumbledore for not giving him a wand! And himself… for not checking the pen before touching it.

So much for taking his last OWL. Muggle studies seemed far less important now.

He suddenly heard footsteps approaching from different directions. Harry adopted a combat stance and prepared himself. Just like last year… only with no wand…

"Well, well, well… Mr. Potter." Harry looked up and saw none other than Lucius Malfoy. And others. Beside him was Bellatrix Lestrange… Holding a wand to the throat of a certain Metamorphmagus… Tonks looked like she'd been roughed up.

Lucius on the other hand was just as vile and slimey as always. The eye patch made him look especially sinister. He was supposed to be in a holding cell. Somewhere inside the… Ministry…

"Welcome, Mr. Potter, to the Department of Mysteries… Do behave now, we wouldn't want Bella to get… anxious."

The crazy bitch started to laugh. Tonks seemed to recoil from the ghastly witch. Given the grey and black teeth, her breath was almost certainly foul.

This was the first time he had seen Bellatrix in person. She looked nothing like the image on the tapestry. Azkaban had not been kind… She was like a nightmare version of Andromeda. Ghoulish and crazy. Utterly repulsive. Harry looked around and recognised quite a few of the people around him. Narcissa's Deatheater review helped. The Lestrange brothers, Crabbe, Mulciber, Dolohov, Jugson, Macnair, Avery, Rookwood, Nott, Travers…

Lucius smiled in his condescending way. "Here's what's going to happen. First, you retrieve something for us. Then, we take you to visit the Dark Lord."

Harry wanted to laugh in his face, but he just couldn't fake it. "Why would I do anything for you?"

Bellatrix laughed, "Because you care about this little half-blood." She scrunched up her face like she was talking to a child. "Ickle Harry."

Harry regretted not filling his Matrices up with combat spells… but there was at least a dozen of them. And they all had wands pointed at him. From all directions. His matrices held the 'Form Switching' charm, the 'Trick with Doors', the 'Shield' charm, his 'Elemental Spears', the 'Anonymous' charm, a 'Disillusionment' charm, and an 'Episkey' for simple healing. It wouldn't be enough… he needed a wand. With a wand, he had an arsenal.

"Let her go, and I'll get whatever you want." Harry stood there staring at Tonks. "Just let her go."

Bellatrix laughed hard. They all did. While they were laughing, Harry made eye contact with Tonks, focusing, he silently cast the 'Form Exchange' Charm he had previously used on Umbridge… _'Forma Communtationem!'_ Harry tore through Tonk's mental defences and switched places. Bellatrix let out a startled scream. She was essentially hugging a massive pincushion. Tonks collapsed on the floor… Time for the dirty tricks Lou had taught him months ago. He dropped any illusions that would make him look like Tonks…

Harry immediately gripped Bellatrix's wrist and pulled the wand down and away just as a brutal curse flew out of it. He got lucky and the curse struck Jugson. The Deatheater choked out a gargled scream. Harry recognised the Blood Boiling curse. Still holding her wrist, he twisted under her arm and hyperextended her arm. He then forcefully struck his elbow against her hyperextended elbow, bending her arm backwards. As tendons and ligaments popped, he pulled her wand from her suddenly limp hand. He also registered that his thorns had torn her up.

Harry held her wand up and shouted _**"Percutiens Tonitrua!"**_ A massive thunderous boom sounded out, stunning and deafening everyone. He then stomped on the top of Bella's foot. He heard a satisfying 'crunch'. In one fluid motion, Harry dropped down and touched the floor with Bellatrix's wand. _**"Quassum Terrae!"**_

The ground started churning and shaking as though it was the ocean… only solid. No one could remain standing, let alone aim a curse. Between the Thunder Strike and the Earthquake spells, he had time to get Tonks away. Harry was unaffected by the moving floor and he ran forward and grabbed Tonk's hand. He knew a few thorns pierced her skin, but they had to get out of there.

He tried to Apparate to the Leaky Cauldron… That was in range from the ministry. Nothing happened. Shite, they had to move!

Bellatrix was screaming and the earth was shaking brutally. Globes were falling off shelves and ghostly voices began emanating from them. Harry heard someone say _'Finite!'_ and the ground began settling down.

A couple of curses came their way and Harry was forced to deflect them with Bellatrix's wand. It felt good to use a wand in combat… He and Tonks were already moving.

Tonks had a nosebleed and was looking rough. Draco had a similar reaction the one time he resisted the switching spell during their practice session. Tonks was stronger than Draco, but Harry caught her unprepared. She'd be pissed if they survive this. Sensing numerous attacks, Harry turned and covered them with a shield as they continued to make their escape.

A continuous stream of curses was striking his shield. He couldn't drop it to retaliate, not without risking Tonks. These were strong curses, too. Fortunately, none were Unforgivables. He directed Tonks to run around a corner. They had a good lead due to the stunning aspect of the Thunder Strike. Additionally, the Earthquake spell resulted in all the Deatheaters losing their footing… But Tonks was not moving fast, and his own thorns slowed him down a bit.

They kept moving, zigzagging about to keep the death eaters from having a direct line of fire. When he thought he had a moment, Harry turned and said, _**"Ignis Pila!"**_ A ball of intense heat, about the size of a snitch, formed on the tip of his wand.

He began attaching spell threads to it. He held it steady and pumped more power into it… more… more… Within five seconds, he had a massive Quaffle sized fireball. Then he let it fly down a long corridor where he expected pursuit. Just as a few Deatheaters rounded the corner some thirty yards away, it exploded within ten feet of the new arrivals. The explosion was Immense. A bristling wave of heat struck him thirty feet away and he was sure there would be fewer Deatheaters in the morning. Harry didn't stick around to see the damage.

As he ran, he looked at Bellatrix's wand, he realised it was reasonably powerful. It had a slight curve to it but felt easy in the hand. This was a duellist's wand. He instinctively knew how to point it even with the curved shape. It had accepted him.

Tonks grabbed his sleeve, "This way!" Harry followed her. They ran into a side corridor. Harry shifted his hearing and realised there were plenty of pursuers heading their way. He also heard distant sounds of people in pain… As they rounded a corner, Harry stopped.

"Hold up, Tonks." He waved his wand over an area just around the corner of the turn. _**"Aspera Caliditas!**_ **"**

"Harry, we've got to move!" Tonks said through clenched teeth.

Harry smiled and turned toward Tonks. "That'll give then something to think about."

They quickly moved down the corridor. Harry noticed Tonks was slowing down. Whatever adrenaline had been coursing through her was wearing off. He pulled her into a side room and set her down. He then Cast _**"Aspera Caliditas!"**_ on the area just inside the entrance to the room.

"There. Now we have some breathing room."

"Harry, what was that spell?"

"It's an elemental spell. It creates a zone of extreme heat of cold. I have created a heat zone on the corridor we went through, so this one is cold. Anyone walks through that area; they'll be standing in a zone of unbelievable cold. It's so cold it burns as your own body heat is drawn out. It's hard to hold a wand with frost bite. It lasts about half an hour."

Harry stopped and listened closely and was certain no one was near the door to the room they were in. Looking at Tonks he said, "Wait here".

He disillusioned himself casting a silencing charm on his shoes. He then edged around the 'cold zone' to exit the room. He set up more cold zones directly inside two other empty rooms. One on either side of the room Tonks was in. Just in case.

Returning to the centre room, he ended the disillusionment charm and checked on Tonks. He saw his Familiar looking up at him from her bag. Six luminous green eyes. Watching him. He could sense their admiration. He was thankful for their silence; he really didn't need to referee their bickering.

" _§Stay quiet and safe. You're protected inside the bag. §"_

Tonks smiled and looked at him in wonder. "Where did you learn… and the Earthquake spell… The ground was actually undulating… like water…"

Harry smiled. "Family magic. Now let's see about you." The simple 'Episkey' was the only healing spell he knew. Bellatrix's wand didn't seem particularly good at it, either. First, he healed her hands where his thorns had cut her. Her ribs were pretty bruised up. She had been running around on a twisted ankle… After about a minute, he had done all he could.

Harry looked at her, his concern evident. "I think I got it all. But I didn't really ' _get it all'_ … if you know what I mean."

Tonks smiled kindly. "I know, Harry. A simple charm like 'Episkey' wasn't designed for serious injuries. I think I might have a concussion and the ribs were broken. They seem a little better now, though. I can breathe easier… but the ankle is still a mess." She cheerfully added, "At least my bumps and bruises are better."

He heard whispering. _"§ She's injured §." "§ Maybe Harry can carry her§." "§He should hide her; she'll slow him down in a fight§." "§Do you think there'll be a fight§?" "§ Absolutely…§" "§ Well it's about time! §" "§ Amen to that. §."_

Harry stopped listening to his Familiar and focused on Tonks.

They suddenly heard a man screaming far down the hall. Someone stumbled into his 'Heat Zone'. Good.

"Harry, normally I'd pull rank and take the wand… but it seems to like you." Sadly, she added, "I'm also not in any shape to fight. Honestly, I had to use my Metamorphmagus ability to get this far… but it doesn't heal, it just suppresses."

Harry knew his Familiar was right. Staying here would get them both killed. "Stay here. I'll draw them away." Whatever energy she had when they made their break… it was gone now. If she did have a concussion…

Tonks focused on him. "Look Harry, these aren't school yard bullies. If they get you, you'll die. Horribly…"

Harry gave a short nod. He saw that with Umbridge.

"Harry, you are powerful. You are skilled. I don't want you out there, but they will eventually find us. You have to get away." When she saw that sink in, she added, "Do. Not. Hold. Back." Seeing that sink in, Tonks went on. "We're in the Department of Mysteries. Send a Patronus to Dumbledore and tell him. But you must keep moving. Don't let them surround you. Also, everyone will see your Patronus the moment you cast it. Move quickly from there."

The Department of Mysteries… of course he couldn't Apparate. And Malfoy had even told him where he was… Wait, how were they able to portkey in? That should be impossible… Rookwood? Narcissa said he had been an Unspeakable… maybe…

"Harry, you're distracted. Use a 'Rennervate' if you need a boost. Stay focused and keep moving. You're life depends on it" With a smirk, she added, "And so does mine."

Harry realised he had let his mind wander. "Right. Keep them off guard. Hit and run. Let's get you set up."

Harry and Tonks both knew the Deatheaters would eventually find them. He wasn't strong enough to carry her and the thorns made that impossible even if he was… He needed to draw the attention away from this room. Away from his friend. If anything happened to her…

Harry set her in the corner and placed a disillusionment charm over her. He then transfigured the wall to physically cover her, slightly changing the shape of the room. It would last a few hours or so. Her left a small gap at the top for air to get in… A simple 'notice not' charm was then used to hopefully prevent anyone from looking too hard.

The room had a small storage closet. He focused and cast _'Coniunctum Fores Unus!'_ Setting up the closet door to be linked to another. Satisfied that he could leave, he set up an alarm to alert him if the area in the corner was approached. It paid to be a curse-breaker. Hopefully, they would be looking for him, not her. He'd make sure they had a target… him.

Well, the Deatheaters started this fight, but he was going to finish it. They would have closed the distance now… It had been too long. The fireball likely slowed them down, but they'd be here in another minute or two if he didn't draw them away.

— **DoD—**

**Ten Minutes ago**

Bellatrix was furious. Harry Potter had gotten the better of her. They outnumbered him and had a hostage… Then he pulled that trick with a switching spell. Rodolphus had healed her and she had a good back up wand… but the indignity. Jugson was dead now… by her own curse! By the time the earth stopped moving, it was too late to cast the counter-curse. His brain had been boiled in his own skull. It was cute the way his eyes burst…

 _pop-pop-squish_!

Lucius had split them all up and they were searching the entire Department of Mysteries. She hated freeing that traitor, but her Lord had commanded it. Crabbe and Rabastan were in direct pursuit while the others were re-grouping. But they were too eager and had walked into a huge fiery explosion. Crabbe was blown to smithereens.

Bellatrix spun on her recently repaired foot like a ballerina.

" _All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Crabbey together again…_ "

She was so brilliant. So musical…

Rabastan had gotten a shield up when he saw the fireball, but the blast shattered it. He was now seriously burned and unable to fight. Rodolphus activated his brother's portkey and sent him away. How was Potter able to cast something so… powerful? It didn't matter, he wouldn't get away.

Bella was on the hunt now… She and her husband would find him. They would make him pay… and her sister's spawn as well. Another pathetic Half-Blood. The boy was armed, so it paid to be careful. They all had a vague idea where he was, but he seemed to be moving. She and her husband took the more direct path while the others circled around to cut off any escape. Crabbe's death had turned them into frightened kittens. They were all cowards. They would wait until she found them, then they'd charge in. But that suited her. She liked her meat fresh.

Rodolphus was using his wand to try and track the boy… it wasn't working well. Entering a hallway, he walked right into a trap. He was suddenly on fire and screaming. Bellatrix pulled him backward with a summoning charm and cast an ' _Aguamenti'_ charm to put out the flames. Rodolphus would live, but he was in no condition to fight.

Bella looked down at her charred and blistered husband. She giggled thinking about the Lestrange brothers. They always did try and do things together. Even if that meant getting third degree burns. But Rudy looked so sad…

She sang for her injured husband.

" _Crispy-crispy-crisps._

_I love you_

_Just the way_

_You are…_ "

Beyond singing for him, there wasn't much she could do. Bella was no healer. That had always been… Andi.

Andi had turned her back on the family… Once Bella exterminated her Mudblood husband and Half-Blood spawn, Andi would come around. She would return and it would be like before… Bella would have both of her sisters back. She began laughing mirthfully at the idea.

" _Three Black sisters…_

_Sitting in a tree…_

_K-I-L-L-I-N-G._ "

Bella was quietly singing and swaying to her brilliant melody.

Her husband let out a painful moan, bringing her attention back to him.

She pursed her lips. "Poor Rudy… Let's look you over." She dispelled the area of burning heat with a quick _'Finite Incantatem!'_ and levitated her husband and proceeded down the hall. Opening a door, it looked empty. She levitated her husband into the room, only to see him start twisting about and making feeble sounds. She quickly pulled him out. He wasn't on fire, but she watered him down anyway. This time, the water began to ice up on him.

She mirthfully chuckled. Potter was full of tricks. Poor Rudy. Potter really needs to decide if he wants it to be hot… or cold.

Bellatrix waved her wand and found another zone, this one cold. She dispelled the cold zone and carefully brought her unconscious husband into the room. He'd live, but he wouldn't be pretty. His nose looked almost black… She was growing tired of this game. 'Ickle Harry' had successfully slowed her down. She rooted through her husband's pockets until she found his emergency portkey. She gave him a kiss on the forehead, his blackened skin felt funny on her lips. With a little wave, she activated his portkey, and sent him away…

" _Roasty-Toasty, Krispy-Crackly… Ro-o-o-o-o-o-dy._ "

In a moment of clarity, Bellatrix wondered, 'Why was this room protected?' With a wave of her wand, she located and dispelled an immensely powerful Disillusionment charm. Standing in the corner was a large and ornate Mirror. It looked both beautiful and quite old. Over the top it read:

'erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi'.*

That inscription made no sense… Then again, maybe it made perfect sense…

Bella investigated the mirror. Her eyes beheld the most amazing image. She was young and beautiful again. All the 'improvements' her master had placed on her were gone. Her teeth were white, and her face was full. She was young again. Full of life and hope and… human wants. She was so beautiful… Her forearm was… clear…

I.

Standing beside her were Andi and Cissy. They were sisters again and they all _loved_ each other. They loved her the most. They embraced one another and looked back at her from the mirror, smiling… Bella's heart was breaking at the beauty of the image, then she noticed others were forming in the reflection. Sirius and Regulus were there. Whole and healthy… they were teenagers… joking about and getting into mischief. They were in their Hogwarts uniforms and quite dashing. Both were sorted into Slytherin. Their parents and Grandparents were behind them, approving and proud of their generation.

S.

H.

O.

W.

She slowly became aware of another teenager. He had messy black hair and the most unusual eyes… They were almond shaped and brilliant green… Just like his mothers, standing behind him. And behind her, was the boys Grandparent's. His grandfather and grandmother were well known to her. She had admired Lycoris Black her entire life… and her husband… Gellert Grindelwald. With the same eyes his daughter and grandson had. Lily Potter was no _Mudblood_ … she was a Black! And a Grindelwald! That meant…

Harry Potter… She looked at the boy. He was handsome and strong. He even had a three headed snake for a familiar! His eyes… Andi put her hand on his shoulder. She was his godmother… but the one he loved the most… He was holding Bella's hand. He was suddenly older now. They were the same age… and they had children. Sons who would be the Heirs of the House of Black and Grindelwald. Daughters to expand into other families. It was so beautiful… It was happening right before her eyes…

Bella stood and stared at the image… she lost all track of time.

Y.

O.

U.

R.

Then an explosion shook the room, breaking her gaze.

She scrunched up her wasted face and screamed. " **NO! This is a Trick!** " But the image didn't waver. It just grew stronger. Lily was her friend… There were no Potters at all. And Grindelwald approved of them. Of her. And the Runespoor was so beautiful. Their children… Her children…

H.

E.

A.

R.

T.

S.

She suddenly realised something was off. She screamed into the reflection. "I can't have children! **I'm barren!** This is a trick! I gave that up…" But she still saw her children… with emerald green eyes. She knew those eyes. She had worshiped Gellert Grindelwald in her youth and she knew his eyes… So beautiful. Just like Lily's. Just like Harry's. She had been furious when she heard Harry was the new Lord Black… but not anymore. It was fitting. And she was by his side. Her family…

Her sisters…

D.

E.

S.

I.

R.

E.

More time had slipped by while Bella was lost in the image. Another explosion in the distance shocked her attention away from the mirror. When she looked back, nothing had changed. Her heart's desire was there for her to see…

Once more, she screamed into the mirror – **"Where were you?!"** She was looking at an adult Harry Potter. No, not Potter… Harry Black. The man of her dreams… Why wasn't he there all those years ago…? She had chosen to follow a cold and empty man because he said all the right things… but he had ruined her. Voldemort had destroyed her family and her life… Something suddenly kicked in.

This couldn't be real. She couldn't have been this wrong. She suddenly looked at the image in the mirror in a rage…

" _ **Bombarda!"**_

She fired a blasting curse and the mirror shattered and flew across the room to rest against the wall. Looking at one of the shards still attached, she saw the truth. The illusion was gone. She had aged, and not well. Her face was gaunt, and her teeth were grey and blackened. Her hair was lank and devoid of the lustre it had once held. She had dark circles under both eyes… Azkaban had been unkind, but so had her master. He gave her power… but it came at a price. Her once acclaimed beauty was no more.

She fell to the ground sobbing. "I'm a _monster_ now…" Some of the mirror's shards had cut her when she destroyed it. She was bleeding from a half dozen small wounds. Wounds she didn't even feel. Small pain was not something her master wanted her to feel. Only _big pain_ would even register now. Like having her arm broken and her foot shattered. Like being pierced all over by huge thorns. Potter!

Once more, she was shocked out of her grief filled ruminations as the sounds of a battle were heard. Snarling she leapt up and charged out of the room. Harry Potter was no Dark Lord. She would prove it by taking his head. Her Lord would forgive her for killing the boy…

— **DoD—**

**Elsewhere in the Department of Mysteries**

Harry was sprinting through the Department as fast as he could run, occasionally, he fired loud and attention getting curses… _'Bombarda!_ ' ' _Reducto!_ ' _'Depulso!'_ He stuck to the loudest curses to cause noise and draw attention away from where he left Tonks. He knew she was vulnerable and likely unconscious. He also set a few Hot and Cold Zones with the _**"Aspera Caliditas!"**_ Charm to serve as traps to slow down the Death Eaters. If they moved fast enough, they would catch him. Especially with the number of toppled shelves piling up and blocking the rows between them.

Disillusionment works great when you're standing still or moving slowly, but a noticeable distortion effect when running, so he just didn't bother. Coming around a corner, Harry stopped short as he was suddenly face to face with three Deatheaters.

Avery, Travers and Macnair were just as surprised as Harry was. But they recovered quickly, proving that they were practiced killers. Within a fraction of a second, curses began flying. Harry found himself parrying and dodging repeatedly. His enhanced perception and Danger sense kept him from getting hit, but the three Deatheaters coordinated their attacks well enough that he didn't have time to counter. He parried a stunner, a cutting curse, and dodged a bone breaker. They wanted him alive but seemed alright with inflicting grave injuries on him.

Shifting to the left, he shielded himself from two curses and silently managed to transfigure a toppled shelf into a large three-foot diameter spider. It had some of those odd spheres for eyes and shelve beams for legs. Taking a cue from his father, he silently created an illusionary version of it and sent the two spiders to attack from the rear. They were about fifteen feet away but would arrive in seconds. He needed the break… One misstep, and he was done.

Harry got his first opening when Macnair threw a _'Bombarda!'_ at the ground in front of him. It was done silently, but Harry knew the spell well enough to sense and identify it. This was a good strategy against a defending Wizard, frequently knocking the target off their feet. He knew how to counter an attack like this – improved defence. He stepped forward and shouted **"** _ **Protego!**_ **"** He angled the shielding charm, so the explosion was forced slightly upward and away from him.

Macnair and Avery were knocked off their feet, but Travers managed to throw a Bone Breaker curse and shield himself as the shockwave hit. Harry was able to volley the curse back towards Macnair but missed as the Deatheater rolled out of the way. Macnair and Avery were standing back up and Travers was suddenly blocked. Macnair had rolled directly in front of Travers to avoid the volleyed Bone Breaker.

For a split second, Harry had a break, and he made the most of it. With a slashing motion, he used a Battle Spell from the Alaric Grimoire, shouting _**"Ferrum Uitta!"**_ A thin flat ribbon shot outward at the three Deatheaters. Harry followed through on the slashing motion and brought the wand behind him. He focused… _'Hastam Spinam!'_ An elemental wood spear formed as he brought the spear forward in a hurling motion. The wand served as an Atlatl, a spear thrower. In one continuous motion, the wand flew toward Avery.

The Macnair and Avery saw the first curse and each man raised a shield. Macnair and Avery had their shields destroyed by the powerful spell, they were shaken, but otherwise unharmed. Travers had been standing behind Macnair and didn't see it coming. As he stepped out from behind Macnair, he was sliced cleanly in half at the waist. Harry's elemental spear was launched a split second behind the cutting ribbon, and it went straight into Avery's chest and exploded into thorn covered vines, tangling both Deatheaters.

Avery coughed up blood, then slumped over. The remnants of the spear buried deep in his chest. Macnair was tangled in thorn covered vines and was suddenly attacked by the transfigured spider and the illusionary spider. Before Harry could finish the battle, two more Deatheaters showed up.

Dolohov and Nott raised around the nearby corridor and joined the battle. Dolohov seemed to be the best duellist of the bunch as he immediately started a spell chain of brutal curses to keep Harry on the defensive while Nott was busy helping Macnair. To Harry's satisfaction, he noted they were confused by the illusionary spider and Macnair had earned a nasty injury on his right arm from the transfigured one.

Harry didn't have time to gloat as Dolohov kept him dodging and shielding. He was starting to feel tired. Harry decided to thin out the opponents and briefly focused on Nott who was helping Macnair. He fired off a piercing curse quickly and silently. _**'**_ _Sagitta!_ _ **'**_ It was one of his fastest spells to cast and was about as powerful as a bullet fired from a handgun. The curse struck Nott in the side of the head, ending his life in a splatter of bone and brain matter.

Dolohov never broke stride, but he was only one man. Harry began matching him, but eventually ducked down to avoid a Stunner and repeated an earlier trick. He touched the ground and said _**"Quassum Terrae!"**_ The earth began to undulate again… Dolohov pointed at the ground _**"Finite Incantatem!"**_ And the ground immediately stopped undulating.

Harry never stopped moving, after casting the Earthquake spell, he rose and flicked his wand again, _'Confringo!'_ Dolohov hastily threw up a shield, but the explosion shattered it and blew him backwards. He landed ten feet away from where he started, and he didn't get back up.

Harry heard footsteps approaching and dashed down another corridor. He quickly and silently cast _'Turbinis Vasti!'_ Sending a whirling funnel of air down a corridor of shelves in the opposite direction from where he was moving. He then dashed around another corridor. He quickly Disillusioned and Silenced himself. Harry was breathing like he had sprinted a mile. He was quite winded. There was a huge difference between Deatheaters and Hogwarts students. Dolohov was the best of the bunch… Harry just had more power than the Deatheaters shield could handle. But power only worked when you were on the offensive. Fighting three Deatheaters almost did him in.

He heard several Deatheaters rush down the corridor and had sent them a mini tornado. He was still catching his second wind. The whole exchange had lasted no more than a couple of minutes, but it had been intense. Taking a count, Harry realised Jugson was out early. Macnair was injured. Avery and Nott were dead. Travers was dead. Dolohov was injured. His fireball had likely taken at least one Deatheater out… Another Deatheater had stumbled into the 'Heat Zone' he had set up… All the zones will have faded by now... He'd have to lay down a few more. The odds were improving, but he had yet to encounter Bellatrix. She was, without a doubt, the most dangerous.

As Harry heard movement receding, he focused and cast a silent ' _Hominum Revelio'_. No one was near… but they were all around. They would probably do the same trick… Except they would be confused by each other's signature… Harry dropped the silencing charm. He had caught his breath and was ready…

He needed to get help. Holding Bellatrix's wand, he said, **"Expecto Patronum!"** It felt different through this wand. Somehow less… vibrant. But Prongs appeared. The Deatheaters would be here any moment, he needed to move quickly. Harry focused on the Patronus and said, "Take a message to Dumbledore" He then mentally linked his mind to his Patronus and said, "I've been transported to the Department of Mysteries. Deatheaters are everywhere… Send Help!"

He paused for only a moment as Prongs darted off at blistering speed. How long would it take? Thirty minutes? Less? There was no point in waiting to see how long the delay would be, he dashed away.

Hit and run.

— **DoD—**

Harry setup a few more heat and cold zone traps. He also began sensing other traps… Someone was setting traps for him! He decided to stay disillusioned and he began using illusions to draw the Deatheaters out. He also created a few tricks with illusional doors and covered up the doorway to the corridor he had stashed Tonks.

Coming around a corner, he was suddenly alerted to an attack. He dropped to the ground as a pair of red bolts flew over his head. He could feel them 'sizzle' as they rushed past. One came from the front and the other from the side. Damn, they set up an ambush. A flanking attack…

" _ **Crucio!"**_

Harry barely managed to roll out of the way and raised a Protego just in time to deflect an Expulso blast. He parried a Bone-Breaker back to where he thought the caster was and began retreating. This forced the attacker to the side to step out into the same corridor as the first attacker. He made out their movements. Two disillusioned attackers…

Harry managed to dodge and parry a piercing curse as well as a blinding curse of some kind. Back to chapter 46. _**"Fulgar Uitta!"**_ The spell was too new to him to try silently and under pressure, but neither one of these bums were likely to know it. He fired off a wide ribbon of lightning. It filled the corridor with a massive burst of twisting electric tendrils, globes exploded on every shelf, sending glass flying…

He caught sight of one body spasming and another raised a shield. This was not a spell that ended, Harry kept pumping power into it until the second shield fell.

Dropping the spell, he focused on the huge towering shelf to the side... _'Accio!'_ He pulled it over onto the fallen Deatheaters and stepped away as it came down. They'd almost got him. He had to overpower their defences to emerge in one piece. My god that was exhausting. The Alaric family spells were powerful, but they took a lot out of you.

Then he heard clapping.

Harry spun around and launched a _'Confringo!'_

He saw a dark figure step out of the way of the spell just before it struck. "Yes! That's the way to do it 'Ickle Harry'!" The figure moved like nightmare image… too fast to be human. It could only be Bellatrix.

Harry shot a piercing curse at her, but she effortlessly batted it away.

She grinned with a mouth that was cracked and foul. "I want to _**play**_ with you 'Ickle Harry'…"

Suddenly, she was casting. Impossibly fast. Harry's enhanced reflexes and perception could barely keep up with her movements… His ability to sense magic and danger was keeping him from getting hit, but only just barely…

Harry was struggling. She was casting two attacks for ever one of his. She was so fast nothing touched her… The only time she slowed was when she cast the Cruciatus curse, a curse that required a verbal component. She was… a better duellist. Not as powerful as he was, but more skilled. Significantly faster, too.

She launched two curses and Harry's left arm was sliced open. He was slowing down, and she was playing with him. Another strike caught his right leg. Not deep, but it would bleed. This is what his father warned him about. Don't play her game.

He managed to cast a spell he had practiced in his Dreamscape. _**"Vide Bellator!"**_ Suddenly there were four Harry Potters. All moving independently. Harry began transfiguring wreckage throughout the room into wolves… He liked wolves… and the room was now full of wreckage. He was careful not to cast any traceable spell and he dodged rather than parried or shielded… as did his images. The bitch sped up and started singing.

" _One-Two…_

_Lick My Shoe,_

_Three-Four…_

_I'll cut off your head…_

_Seven-eight…_

_You'll be dead…"_

Harry almost lost his concentration… What the hell? Not only did it not rhyme very well, but she skipped five and six… Crazy bitch. Harry's Transfigured wolves were attacking her. The first savagely took a chunk out of her thigh… That would slow her down a bit. Harry kept creating wolves and she was suddenly distracted. She was firing _'Reducto!'_ curses at the wolves, but she kept singing that _god-awful_ song… She was destroying wolves as fast as Harry could create them and managing to fire off an occasional curse in his direction. But he was gaining the upper hand.

Harry noticed the curses were starting to lose some of their impact. She was tiring out. She was no longer a blur when she moved… One of his 'phantom images' just took a chuck of shrapnel from one of the exploding wolves and winked out of existence. It was time to make his move. He reinforced an illusion he had created on the wall. One right in front of a Heat Zone… One of the few still up and running…

The moment her head turned slightly to track one of the last wolves, Harry decided to go for broke and disillusioned himself while ending one of the two remaining 'phantom images'. In her periphery vision, it would look like the illusionary images ended. He then sent 'Phantom Harry' darting through a heat zone and through an illusionary doorway, then turning and disappearing.

Bellatrix destroyed the last remaining wolf and was right behind the retreating illusion screaming " **Come back and Play!"** She was moving at a blistering speed even with the damage to her leg. She charged through the heat zone so fast she would only have first degree burns… except her feet. They'd be charred.

Charging the doorway, she yelled, "We're not done yet Ick **…SPLAT!** " What stopped her was the illusionary entrance way that 'Illusion Harry' escaped through. She must have struck it at over thirty miles per hour.

It was a two-foot-thick stone wall. Her head was bent at an odd angle…

Apparently, running face first into a stone wall was hazardous to your health. Especially when moving at double a human's speed. Harry was glad the crazy psycho bitch was done.

Harry took a moment to catch his breath… how many more opponents were there? He disillusioned himself and went back to the original Hallway, noting the room he left Tonks in was still intact. He continued and went through a door that led to a round chamber. There were many doorways. Deciding to just chance it, he said "Um... How do I get…"

He sensed the attack a split second before it would have struck. He barely managed to parry a cutting curse... Then a Bone-Breaker… Then a piercing curse… then one he didn't recognise… Harry saw the moving distortion. Another trap… but only one Deatheater. When he entered and spoke, his disillusionment charm lost its imperceptibility. He was now one of two 'distorted images' duelling one another.

He held his wand out between parries and silently cast _'Percutiens Tonitrua!'_ The resulting thunderous boom would draw attention, but Harry acted on instinct. It was the Spell his mum preferred against disillusioned opponents.

Harry followed the stunning curse with a _'Petrificus Totalus!'_ There on the ground, frozen stiff, was Lucius Malfoy. His eyes darting about in fear. Harry pointed his wand… time to do the world a favour… for the greater good…

But Lucius was helpless. And he was… Draco's dad. He deserved it! After all the shite he's pulled… Year after year… But… Harry just… couldn't do it. Not like this. Not to Draco's dad. Deciding on a satisfying alternative, he pulled his foot back and savagely kicked the side of the Deatheaters head. Lucius was knocked out cold. Maybe he'd even have a concussion… but… Harry would let the authorities have him. Tonight, he had killed… but only in self-defence. He picked up Lucius' wand and broke it. It wasn't the snake handled one he'd had before, but it still felt good.

Harry walked back to the centre of the room and looked up at the door on the end. "Umm... Exit, please…?"

A door to the left suddenly flew open. As if the Department of Mysteries was ready to be rid of him. Considering the damage, he'd done… It probably was. Harry stepped out into the doorway and came to a lift. Entering it, he scanned his options and pressed the button marked as 'The Atrium'. The lift rose and stopped at a corridor leading to large entrance way. He found an office and quickly enchanted the doorway. _'Coniunctum Fores Duo!'_

He then stepped through the doorway and out of the supply closet in the room he left Tonks. _'Hominum Revelio!'_ No one was near except an unconscious Tonks. He removed the transfigured wall and levitated Tonks through the door to the storage closet. Closing and opening it, he was back in the ministry. He disillusioned the both and slowly moved toward a large statue in the centre of the huge area. He heard voices. Quickly and quietly, he cast _'Rennervate!'_ on Tonks. She slowly woke up but seemed groggy. He had her proceed behind him. She did not look or walk well. He had forgotten about her ankle.

Moving toward the voices, He began to hear combat. Dumbledore was fighting Voldemort. It was brilliant and intense. Harry looked over and saw Tonks was struggling… He carefully levitated her out of sight and placed another Disillusionment charm on her. She was his main concern. Once secure, he went back to watching Dumbledore battling Voldemort.

Tracking both combatants was easier than tracking Bellatrix. She had moved so fast that even with his heightened perceptions he struggled to keep up with her. Dumbledore and Voldemort were different. Both were fast, but not inhumanly so. In fact, without the thorns, Harry knew he was faster than either man. It was the intuitive nature of their movements. They both possessed 'Mage Level' power and had the skill to back it up. They were both masters of combat. The way they moved and cast, it was so certain and controlled, it almost looked choreographed.

After the first minute, it appeared that Voldemort possibly had a slight edge in power, while Dumbledore possessed a higher level of skill. Voldemort favoured Curses while Dumbledore favoured transfiguration. As Harry thought about it, he realised Voldemort's power was not greater… Curses were flamboyant and direct… transfiguration took a lot of power but was less flashy.

Harry considered jumping in, but he didn't want to throw Dumbledore off… not with Voldemort hurling the killing curse over and over. He was glad he put Tonks safely aside, the damage to the ministry was impressive. The huge fountain in the middle of the atrium was had been blasted to ruins. Harry started looking for a shot... Something he could do to help take Voldemort down without distracting Dumbledore. He was still a way away, so he slowly began to creep forward to a better position. Move too fast and he'd show distortion over his disillusionment.

After watching the two older mages battle for three or four minutes, Harry noticed Dumbledore began to gain an advantage. It would not have been obvious to someone without knowledge of battle tactics, but Dumbledore was slowing taking control of the fight. Voldemort was attacking less and defending more. Harry stood quietly watching… the war could end right here… He had his wand in his hand… ready…

Then he heard a familiar voice. _**"Avada Kedavra!"**_ Instinctively, Harry levitated a large piece of the fountain and intercepted the curse just before it impacted Dumbledore. It was a close call. Unfortunately, the distraction caused Dumbledore to break his focus for a half a second, resulting in the Headmaster being struck with blast effect that hurled him across the room… He fell and did not get back up.

Lucius Malfoy approached Voldemort and knelt. "My Lord. I live to serve."

Voldemort stared calmly down at the Deatheater. "Lucius… why did you interrupt my duel?"

"My Lord, you seemed to be… that is…" Lucius knew he'd screwed up. He almost said, 'you seemed to be losing'.

With a wave of his wand, Voldemort separated Lucius' head from his body. A fountain of blood surged forth. Voldemort then turned to Dumbledore… wand raised…

Harry fired a _'Confringo!'_ , but it was easily batted away.

Voldemort stared straight at him and smiled. "Ah, Harry Potter… Is it Christmas already? Has my Birthday come again? I get to kill two of my enemies on the same night."

Harry ended his disillusionment. There was simply no point in maintaining it when Voldemort could apparently see right through it. Now he needed to stall and pull Voldemort away from Dumbledore. Harry walked to a point where he and Voldemort were about twenty feet apart in front of the fountain. Voldemort seemed amused. The snake faced Bastard was… underestimating him.

Harry decided to just go for broke. He shouted _**"Ultimum Exitium!"**_ This was the final spell in Chapter 46 of the Alaric Grimoire. It required the incantation to be said whilst mentally focusing on the word ' _ **Omnia**_ '. You essentially gave it everything you'd got. A massive bolt of pure power surged forth towards Voldemort.

The Dark Lord threw up a glowing shield-like barrier, stopping the beam in its path. Harry could see a flicker of uncertainty on Voldemort's face when the beam stuck. It was powerful… and it was continuous. Slowly the glow from the shield brightened. It became a contest of wills, just like in the graveyard. But this wasn't just a contest of wills, it was also a contest of raw power. Time seemed to build and weigh on both… Harry could see movement in his periphery vision… Deatheaters?

Harry decided they would have a front row seat to either his demise or Voldemort's. Harry kept pushing without respite. Voldemort was pushing just as hard back. Neither was giving an inch. There was no room for fancy spells or sneak attacks. Any lapse in concentration would be a decisive end. The wand Harry was using was heating up to the point that Harr knew he'd have burns. The first one to give less than one hundred percent attention, died. The first one to falter, died. Today was the day… It may kill him… but... today… was… the… day… With a massive effort he pushed even more power into the beam. He was ending this once and for all!

The barrier Voldemort was pushing his power against suddenly exploded, sending Harry staggering backward and Voldemort flying backward and impacting the wall. Remarkably like how Dumbledore was sent flying. Like Dumbledore, Voldemort wasn't moving. Harry felt like he had run a marathon… His ears were ringing… Movement all around him… _Focus!_ It's time to end this! He pointed his wand at Voldemort _**"Confringo!"**_ His wand exploded in his hand.

Hastily looking about, Harry saw another wand lying on the ground. He extended his left hand and focused… _'Accio wand!'_ This was _true_ wandless magic, not magic through a spell matrix. Nothing happened. Without pausing more than a half a second, Harry tried again, but this time out loud, _**"Accio wand!"**_ It twitched for a moment, then flew into his hand. He turned just in time to see Voldemort portkey away. The look on the Dark Lord's face was pure hatred… but also with a tinge of fear. He was bloody and his arm had an unnatural bend to it.

" **He's back!"** Harry could barely make out the words over the ringing in his ears.

Harry looked over and saw minister Fudge. The man looked terrified… as did all the wizards and witches standing about. There were perhaps two dozen ministry employees gawking at him… More were coming in… Harry looked down at the wand he was holding…

It was Dumbledore's. It felt like _**so nice**_ in his hand. Terribly like his Holly wand. But where his Holly wand was warm, this was icy cool… crisp… He looked at his right hand. It was still holding the shattered and splintered handle of Bellatrix's wand. His fingers were charred and blistered. He couldn't open his hand without tearing skin…

Harry saw Dumbledore begin to stir. Turning the other way, he saw Remus, Bill, Moody, Kingsley, and Arthur… a couple other people he recognised from the Order of the Phoenix… His focus on the battle was relaxing. His heightened perceptions were returning to normal.

Moody let out a chuckle, "Well, you know how to throw a party, Potter!"

Harry gave a small nod, then turned to Remus. "Remus!" He sounded like he was underwater… Harry pointed toward the area he had set Tonks. The Disillusionment had ended when he started his battle. "Tonks is over there… She needs assistance." Was he yelling?

Bill was instantly at his side. His friend and mentor conjured a pair of thick gloves and helped Harry over to a mostly intact bench. Harry felt exhaustion beyond almost anything he'd ever felt. It was right up there with how he felt after the Graveyard. Now the adrenaline was wearing off and he was beginning to get the shakes. Looking up he saw Dumbledore standing to the side. He had blood running down his face and into his beard.

Bill looked deeply concerned. "Stay still, Harry. Catch your breath…"

Harry flipped his wand around and handed it back to the Headmaster. He noted Dumbledore looked extremely… relieved.

Dumbledore reached out, "Thank you Harry." He gently took the wand and began scanning Harry. Remus was doing the same with Tonks.

After a few minutes, Dumbledore began healing some of Harry's injuries. The Episkey Harry had used on the injuries he received during his duel with Bellatrix didn't hold up completely. Harry's arm and leg had started bleeding again. Dumbledore began sealing up his cuts and scrapes after addressing the deeper wounds. He managed to get Harry's right hand open… Bellatrix's wand handle was little more than long splinters. Bill flinched and muttered something about medical assistance.

Harry sat numbly… trying to focus and stay awake. He pulled his messenger bag around and checked on his girls.

_§ "Can we talk now?" "That was pretty bumpy..." "You killed a lot of people!" "That was Amazing!" "I thought the ending was the best…" "You look tired, Harry." "Can we meet with Lavender and Parvati again?" "Everyone's staring at us…" "…Jealous…" "I'm hungry, Harry."§_

Harry smiled at his girls. _§ "We'll be home soon sweetie..."§_

_§ "Which of us was he talking to?" "I hate it when he does that..." "Harry, we're three serpents, not one!" "He's tired. Bloody, too." "Next time, we get to bite someone…"§_

Harry set the bag down beside him and considered how lucky he had been. If the Deatheaters had been firing Killing Curses… he might be dead. If Bellatrix had shown up earlier… and fought with the others… If Voldemort hadn't underestimated him… So many lucky breaks.

If he had only killed Lucius…

A few flash bulbs went off… Dumbledore scooped a bit of Harry's blood with the tip of his wand and made a tiny inverted 'u', saying _**"Saguis Mudat!"**_

Seeing Harry's curious look, Dumbledore said, "We can't let anyone get access to any of your blood, Harry." Harry just nodded. He was exhausted.

Bill spoke up, "Albus, we need to get him out of here…"

Dumbledore nodded. "Agreed."

— **Dance of Death 37—**

**Ministry of Magic**

**The Atrium**

**Fifteen Minutes Earlier.**

Bellatrix Lestrange stood disillusioned and watched that fool Lucius interfere in her Lord's duel and pay the price. She should have just left him on the floor. Beaten and wandless… No more Lo-o-o-o-cy! She cackled at that. Now her Lord would deal with the Potter brat… He'd prove the mirror to be a liar.

When the duel started, she had expected the boy to collapse immediately, but he didn't. He pressed on in a massive display of power and, to her shock, he emerged victorious. She forced her neck straight and off her shoulder with a blood curdling 'CRACK!' and watched her Lord flee. As she watched, she noticed three tiny heads poking out of the bag the boy had been carrying… Snake heads. The mirror hadn't lied…

Bellatrix began to weep. She didn't know why… Was she happy or sad? Maybe both… "Soon my Dark Prince… we'll be together. Together, again."

Bellatrix very softly sang a little song.

" _Fa-La-la,_

_Together again,_

_You and me,_

_Together again."_

She then activated her Portkey and left. For the first time in as long as she could remember… she was looking forward to the future.

— **Dance of Death 37—**

**Department of Mysteries**

**Hall of Prophecies**

**One Hour later**

Senior Unspeakable, Fritz Oppenheimer, entered the Hall of Prophecies to appraise the damage. He expected it to be extensive… He had underestimated. Everywhere he looked, there were broken spheres and tumbled shelves. It looked like someone had picked up the room, flipped it upside down, and shaken it.

Fritz looked at his life's work… He was the head of the Prophesies department, and now it was in ruins. He was silent for perhaps ten minutes before he finally spoke.

"…Fuck…"

— **Capitulum Ultimum—**

**Next: Aftermath and the Fifth year wrap up**

**If you have questions about the title of the chapter, listen to the song with the same name, 'Hair of the Dog' by Nazareth. I thought it was a decent fit.**

**(Note that songs with a cowbell tend to be amazing)**

***The Mirror of Erised: Spelled backward and shifting the spaces, 'erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi' = 'I show not your face but your heart's desire'.**

**I tried to show that a significant amount of time passed while Bella was gazing into the mirror. She was in an adjoining room that Harry set up as a 'distraction' with a 'cold zone'. Harry never checked for the mirror; he was in a hurry. By the time Bella snapped out of its influence, Harry was long gone, and Tonks was unconscious.**

**I see the Bellatrix character as crazy psychopath. The singing might have been over the top, but I still remember in the movie where she was running through the ministry singing** _**I Killed Sirius Black** _ **. I loved it. So… she sings. Note:** **I had a reviewer in my Chimera Rising story tell me Lycoris was just a Bellatrix knock off… I beg to differ. Lycoris is a brilliant sociopath, not a crazy psychopath. Sheeez.**

**I had a few reviews that were unhappy with the last chapter and I thought I would address a few of the concerns for those who may have similar questions:**

**Harry got off too easy** **: Harry is not off the hook for the Umbridge cursing. Every inquisitor interrogated gave his name as the manipulator. The other Aurors believe he was somehow involved. At the very least, they feel he should be intensely interrogated. Hiding behind his wealth, fame, status, and his solicitor doesn't sit well with the Auror Department. The consensus was 'He's Hiding Something' or even 'He orchestrated the whole thing'.**

**Doesn't tie with Casting Shadows:** **Those of you who read Casting Shadows may think he covered his tracks too much given the suspicion in that story. But remember, the only people who were suspicious of him were people who know more than the rank and file. Aurors (Ron, Susan, Tracey) who saw the file and Daphne Greengrass who knew** _**for a fact** _ **he was in the Theatre when Umbridge and her Inquisitors showed up. She was also warned by Draco to avoid a confrontation with Harry and run away if it looked like something was going down. However, 'stealacandy' pointed out a scene in Casting Shadows where Ron's boss, Williamson, said Harry was the only suspect. Not sure how I missed that… but it is fixed now. It's hard to write the prequel out of time with the main story and I missed it. Sorry. All fixed now.**

**What did he expect?** **Did he think the inquisitors would just cast leg locks and tickling charms? In this story, Harry thought no one would be bold enough to commit murder at Hogwarts. He naively had not considered how easy it was to dispose of a body with transfiguration. He felt certain Umbridge would try to have him killed, but not at school. What had he expected? He expected the Inquisitors to work her over with painful but non-lethal Hexes and Curses like Bone Breakers (to non lethal body parts). Harry assumed it would be a very thorough beat-down. He also imagined she would be Obliviated. What happened to her was far more sadistic than he had imagined, and he was especially disturbed that it was planned for him.**

**Portkeys** **–** **Hogwarts: Only the headmaster could create a portkey at Hogwarts. Others would fail. Unless they were attached to a portkey Dumbledore had already created. Like with the Goblet of Fire. Or, like a** _ **medical**_ **portkey. Kudos to anyone who picked up on that a few chapters back.**

**Ministry: Rookwood built in a number of 'back doors' in the ward structure of the ministry. He was the Deatheater who probably did the most damage to the security of Magical Britain. He worked covertly for years and placed numerous intentional gaps and holes in the monitoring and Defence of Magical Britain. Rookwood's portkeys could get in and out, but others couldn't – as Harry found out when he tried to re-trigger the 'pen' portkey. That loophole will be addressed in the next chapter.**

**New Spells:**

**Percutiens Tonitrua = Thunder Strike. Stuns and Deafens.**

**Quassum Terrae = Earthquake. Causes the ground to shake and undulate. People have difficulty remaining balanced. Unable to attack or defend well.**

**Ignis Pila = Fireball. Shoots forward and explodes.**

**Aspera Caliditas = Zone of extreme temperature (Hot or Cold). About 10X10 patch that affects all who cross it.**

**Turbinis Vasti = Summons and directs a minor tornado.**

**Sagitta = Piercing Charm/Curse. Canon and not new, but I gave it an incantation.**

**Ferrum Uitta = Wide area cutting curse. Useful against multiple opponents and immensely powerful. Required a great deal of power to cast.**

**Hastam Spinam = Thorn Spear. Strikes and explodes after impact with thorn covered vines that pierce and entangle.**

**Coniunctum Fores – Linked Doors (Unus and Duo). Operates like a vanishing cabinet to within a one- or two-mile distance. Ignores wards. The first door enchanted is Unus, the second is Duo.**

**Forma Communtationem – Form Exchange. Caster switches places with the victim and they assume each other's appearance.**

**Fulgar Uitta – Lightning Ribbon. Area effect spray of electricity.**

**Vide Bellator – Phantom Warriors. Three or more duplicate images that act independently.**

**Saguis Mudat – Blood Cleanse. Makes blood inert and unable to be used against the person bleeding.**

**Ultimum Exitium – Powerful beam that is intended to obliterate your enemy. It requires a great deal of power and lasts as long as the caster can supply power to maintain. This is considered a last ditch attack.**


	38. Chapter 38

— **Dance of Death 38—**

**In the last chapter, Amelia Bones was under pressure to bring Harry in for interrogation into the brutal assault on Umbridge. She refused even though it would undermine her own credibility and pit her against the Minister. One of the key factors in her refusal to cooperate was the fact that her own magic was directing her to protect Harry. When the Potter-Bones Tier One Alliance was ended through dishonest actions, a series of penalty clauses activated to ensure the Bones family protect the Potter family.**

**The same night, Harry was tricked into going to the Department of Mysteries. He managed to fight thirteen Deatheaters with 'Hit and Run' tactics before watching Dumbledore battle Voldemort. Lucius Malfoy took an opportunity to attack Dumbledore during this duel, and Voldemort killed Lucius for his interference. Harry then managed to drive off Voldemort with a rare spell that relied primarily on raw power over skill or knowledge. Several Ministry workers arrived in time to see the end of Harry's duel.**

**This is where we pick up.**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.**

**FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories. Many of the spells in this chapter are from the Earthdawn setting, I just put a Latin name on them.**

" _ **§Example of Parseltongue §."**_

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

**Chapter 38: The End of Fifth year.**

**Hogwarts**

**Infirmary**

**June 21, 1996**

**Friday 8:30 AM**

Harry was getting his final check over with Madam Pomfrey. She finished the healing that Dumbledore had started and worked on repairing his right palm. It was a charred-up mess. All things considered, he was remarkably unscathed. The only real injuries he had received had been in his duel with Bellatrix and from his wand heating up and exploding. He did have quite a few bruises, scrapes, and sprains… small injuries he hadn't noticed when he was full of adrenaline.

The medi-witch shook her head. "Mr. Potter, how on earth did you manage to wade through a battle with all your limbs intact?"

Harry just shrugged. He was in no mood for small talk. He had one dreaded conversation he needed to have before he went to sleep.

Madam Pomfrey finished up with a bit of irritation. She was tired of seeing students with battle injuries. "Well, you've looked worse after a quidditch game… Do you still play?" What she wanted to ask was 'Why can't you just be a fifteen-year-old boy? Why am I always seeing you after a battle of some sort?'

Harry chuckled bitterly. "No, ma'am." That was a million years ago.

She seemed a bit saddened. "Well… try to get some rest. I'll get you a draught of Dreamless Sleep."

"No, thank you. I need my dreams." He had to review the battle with his parent's incarnations in his Dreamscape. Dreamless Sleep prevented that.

"I see. Well, it's here if you need it."

"If we're done, I have things to do…"

"You'll be staying here tonight, Mr. Potter. As the muggles say, 'Doctor's orders'."

Harry laughed. "No ma'am."

He got up, lifted his Familiar's bag, put on his bloodstained robe, and walked out. He noticed a few puncture holes and tears in the material covering the inspection table. They could bill him for the damages… or just fix it magically. He really didn't care much.

He gently looked in the bag and saw his girls sleeping soundly. At least his Familiar was getting a good night's sleep. Only it wasn't night. Great, they'd become nocturnal again… It took him two weeks to get her to sleep through the night. Two terrible weeks where she wanted to play and talk all night long. Not 'her' or 'she', it's 'them'… plural. Get it right, Potter.

Bill and Dumbledore were waiting outside the restricted area where Madam Pomfrey worked on her patients. Seeing Harry, they both rose. Harry could tell they hadn't slept and were as exhausted as he was.

Bill asked, "Harry, why don't you stay the night?"

"I need to talk to Draco. About his dad… Tell him he died." That was not going to be a fun conversation. With a sneer he added, "And deal with Billy Corbin."

Dumbledore smiled sadly, "Mr. Corbin has been taken into custody. We can fill you in on events at Hogwarts after you've had more sleep."

That sounded reasonable. Harry was so tired he found himself starting to nod off intermittently. He almost fell asleep during Madam Pomfrey's examination. But he had to see Draco first.

What was he going to say to Draco? Harry kicked around different approaches… He suddenly realised both Wizards were looking at him. Madam Pomfrey was too. When had she gotten there?

Harry took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, what was the question?"

Dumbledore was annoyingly patient. "Will you share your memories of the battle? We need to know what happened and how the monitoring charms in the ministry were somehow turned off…"

Harry nodded. "Sure… well, no. I want to discuss with my Solicitor first."

Dumbledore adopted a look of disappointment. "Time, unfortunately, is not on our side…"

Bill groaned, "Given the way the ministry has acted, Harry had every right to be careful. Harry, if you give me your memory, I'll make sure whoever sees it takes a vow to… not use it against you."

Harry looked at his mentor inquisitively. "Could a vow that open ended even work?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No. But we can vow not to share any details until your solicitor reviews it and approves it for sharing. And we can refuse to share it without immunity for you… Pending the review of course."

Harry held out his hand. "Wand."

Dumbledore handed Harry his Holly wand.

Harry conjured a small vial and extracted the memory. He gently placed it in the vial. For a moment, he stood and gazed at the swirling silvery liquid. Such precious things, memories. His eyes were getting heavy…

Bill gently touched his shoulder. "Harry?"

Harry snapped out of his distraction. "Sorry." He handed the vial to Bill.

Madam Pomfrey called out "Mr. Potter…"

Harry stopped and turned to her.

"Don't approach Draco Malfoy. Not until you've slept." Seeing Harry's sudden resistance, she clapped her hands together twice, getting his attention. " _ **Stop and Listen!**_ I was a medi-witch in the last war, and I've had to give the very talk you are planning. I've done this far more times than I'd like. Trust me when I say, you are in _**no condition**_ to have that conversation. Telling a person their loved one has been killed is _**not**_ something you do when you can barely speak coherently."

Harry knew she was right, but… "If I don't tell him now, he'll read about it in the papers… I want him to know in advance. And... I want him to know I didn't do it."

Harry suddenly realised everyone was looking relieved. They thought he had killed Lucius! Well, he wished he had. In the round room with the doors. Then Voldemort would be gone.

Bill came through with a suggestion, "Let Andromeda do it. She'll be here in a few minutes. After you get settled, she can review the memory and tell Draco what happened."

Harry realised it might be for the best… "But, the vow…" What had they agreed on? Damn, he was tired.

"Alright. Madam Pomfrey, if you have a bed in a secure location…" Harry yawned while he said it. "Bill, make sure Andromeda and my Solicitor have access to the memory. No vow needed."

"Sure thing, Harry."

"I'm planning to sleep in." Harry walked back into the Infirmary. He realised halfway to wherever he was being led… he still had his wand. Well, if Dumbledore wanted it, he could come and get it.

Madam Pomfrey began giving him instructions… clothes over there… water over here… drink this… brush your teeth… place your shoes in the corner… Harry noted she was suddenly smirking at him. Looking at his hand, he realised he was holding an empty vial. He drank it without thinking. She'd slipped him Dreamless Sleep…

Harry's angry glare only made the older woman laugh mirthfully.

"I used to handle your father and Sirius Black… Now they were a handful. That was almost too easy. You are _far_ more like your mother." She softened and her eyes relaxed in a sad way. "You're a sweet boy, Harry."

Harry wanted to see his parents… That was out now. Miserable old bat.

Seeing his dismay, she continued chuckling. Harry saw his cushioning pad on the bed. Apparently, there was never any doubt where he'd be staying.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**June 22, 1996**

**Saturday 11AM**

Harry awoke to the wonderful smell of Bacon and Eggs. Opening his eyes, he saw Andromeda and Tonks. They looked tired, but happy. Tonks appeared to be fully recovered and was chewing on something. Harry genuinely felt overcome with happiness. The fact that he had a tray of food in front of him helped him shake off the morose feelings he had.

Andromeda was smiling at him. "Good morning, Harry. I trust you slept well."

Harry sat upright. "Pretty good. How long…" He picked up his wand and silently cast ' _Tempus!'_ Thirteen hours. He noticed his Familiar was coiled up beside him, sleeping as well. She had been fed something large. A rat, maybe? Dobby took good care of her.

"Wotcher, Harry." Tonks reached over and took the crispiest slice of bacon. "This looks overcooked…"

"Oi! I like the crispy ones!" He started laughing. She was smirking at him. He looked down and saw just two miserable slices. He muttered, "Looks like they're skimping on the bacon these days."

Tonks smiled as she swallowed the stolen slice. "Nope. They gave you six slices."

Harry did a double take. "You ate four?" He proceeded to grab both of his remaining slices and shove them in his mouth. Then he started on the eggs.

Tonks mock-glared at him. "Be glad that's all I did. After that little switcheroo in the ministry, I still have a headache."

Harry would have laughed but his mouth was full. He was famished. Tonks really was the best. He quickly swallowed. "So, I _save_ your bacon and you _eat_ mine?"

Tonks nodded, "That about sums it up. Tit for tat. Even Stevens. A tooth for a tooth. Bacon for bacon… And I looooove crispy bacon."

Andromeda was enjoying watching these two go at it. She vaguely remembered Sirius and Regulus acting the same way. Before Hogwarts and their houses drove them apart. Harry was like a part of the family, and he had saved her daughter. If she had had a second child, this is how she imagined it would have been. Of course, Ted said they did have a second child now… And this was the way it was.

After he finished his eggs, Harry asked the hard question. "Did you talk to Draco?" He was spreading jam on his toast.

Andromeda gently nodded her head. "I did. Narcissa, too. They're both pretty broken up, Harry. I'm glad you didn't… I'm glad you spared Lucius when you had the chance."

Harry gave a short nod. He didn't feel the same way.

"I missed the train, didn't I?"

Tonks answered, "Yeah, but it's probably for the best." She handed him the Daily Prophet and snatched up half a slice of toast. She and Harry liked the same jam. "Budge over." Tonks settled in beside him, on the opposite side of Harry's Familiar. No one wanted to wake them up… The one named Artemis was mean and vicious in the morning.

Harry nervously looked at the Prophet. On the Cover was a photo of Harry fighting Voldemort. How the hell had they gotten that? It looked more impressive than it felt at the time. It had to be a Pensieve photo. The title read:

_**He's Back!** _

_Boy-Who-Lived Battles You-Know-Who!_

A few other columns had similar titles:

_**Battle in the Ministry!** _

_13 Deatheaters vs Harry Potter!_

_—_

_**Albus Dumbledore, Stepping Aside?** _

_Is Harry Potter the New Defender of Magical Britain?_

_—_

_**Dolores Umbridge, Her Crimes Revealed!** _

_Killed by her own Students!_

_—_

Harry looked up, "You've got to be kidding me…"

Tonks reached for his second half of toast, only to have it snatched out from under her hand.

Harry shook his head… "I am **_so_** glad I'm not on the train…"

Tonks laughed, "Yeah, now everyone knows your name. That's _**so much different**_ than before…" She snatched back his last half of toast while he was lost in thought. She nicked herself on a thorn, though. "ouch."

Harry was equally amused and irritated by the bacon thief beside him. "Oi!"

Andromeda found she was enjoying watching the pair. They were quite close… Given the rather morose demeanour Harry had when he woke up, it was nice to see him like this. Still, Harry needed nourishment.

"Nymphadora, stop eating Harry's food." Looking at Harry, she reassured him, "I'll arrange for Dobby to bring you more bacon."

Harry smirked at Tonks. "Thanks, Andromeda."

Before her two children started bickering with each other, Andromeda added, "Also, Mr. Felder had approved the memory to be viewed as long as you're pardoned from any actions that had occurred in the ministry. The property damage was unfortunate, but you were fighting for your life. Nothing learned in that memory could be used against you."

Harry had stopped thinking about the ministry holding him accountable… "That's good… Who's seen the memory?"

Andromeda was all business. "Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour, the head of the Auror department. They were given a viewing after Mr. Felder cleared it and agreed to immunity for the loss of life and damages. Nothing viewed in that memory can be used against you. A few of Dumbledore's 'Order' have also viewed it… The Unspeakables want a viewing."

Tonks added, "I saw it… Good thing your Solicitor insisted on the Immunity. The damages alone… Wow! You destroyed most of the prophecies. It's a good thing Oppenheimer likes you." She then finished his toast.

Harry looked at her. "Would you like tea with _**my**_ breakfast, your highness?"

Tonks grinned ear to ear. "Yes, please. More bacon, too."

They both laughed. Neither were acting their age… At least the thorns kept them from slapping at each other. Andromeda wished for the hundredth time that they had been able to grow up together… Nymphadora loved playing big sister to Harry, and he seemed to enjoy it too.

She was impressed with how easily Nymphadora was able to cheer Harry up. She and her daughter both wanted to be here when Harry woke up. Bill and Remus did too, but they had 'Order Business'. Harry had a few deep cuts, but other than magical exhaustion, he was fine. He just needed a long hard sleep. As difficult as it was to believe, he legitimately defeated thirteen inner circle Deatheaters and drove off Voldemort himself.

Andromeda struggled to believe it. _He beat Bellatrix!_ Now he was joking about like a first year. Was this what the parents of mages like Albus Dumbledore saw? Insanely powerful Wizards tempered by a need for family… It was a hard reality to get your mind around.

At that moment, Dobby showed up with a very full plate of extra crispy bacon and three cups of tea. The elf just seemed to know what Harry wanted… He was bonded. Tonks and Harry were sharing the bacon and joking about. They even toasted their cups together. It was so good to see them both laughing. Were they enjoying sword fighting with bacon?

Watching Harry's zany antics with her daughter reinforced to Andromeda how normal he really was. The Daily Prophet ended up on the floor when the bacon and tea arrived. She tried not to think about how he'd react when he readthe articles. If he thought the titles were over the top… She'd have to work with him. Narcissa wouldn't be able to help for a while.

Narcissa and Draco both needed time to deal with their loss. Not that it was a loss to anyone other than them. Andromeda privately loathed the man. At least now Lucius couldn't give away any more of Draco's inheritance. The Malfoy estate was already a shadow of what it had been. Maybe that was a good thing. Draco could use a bit of Humility. Narcissa could use it herself…

Dobby had been invited up to the bed and Nymphadora had enlarged it to fit everyone without getting stuck with thorns. Harry's Familiar had slithered under a pillow to get away from the noise. Poppy caught her eye with an amused grin, shaking her head. The fact that she let this comedy continue spoke volumes to her caring about Harry. Did he even realise?

After a brief pause, Andromeda shook herself out of her thoughts and addressed a darker topic. "The ministry has opened up the investigation into the Dementor attack again. Additionally, the Umbridge investigation had been closed and the students that had cursed her were in custody awaiting a trial. Mr. Felder still wants you to refrain from discussions on the topic."

Harry looked surprised to hear that. "Fudge didn't press the issue?"

Tonks guffawed for a second. She then took another slice of bacon from his plate, ignoring her own pile.

Holding up her stolen slice, Tonks explained, "Do you expect Fudge to go against the Wizard who drove off You-Know-Who? He's not that stupid." She then enthusiastically devoured her stolen slice.

Harry looked confused. "So, one minute he wanted to discredit me… Now he's… What?"

Andromeda did that trick where she raised one eyebrow. "Politics Harry. The dirtiest business of all."

Tonks stole another slice of Harry's bacon.

Harry pointed to her plate, "Oi! Eat your own bacon!" Tonks' plate had a half dozen slices on it. Dobby covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.

Tonks shrugged, "Yours always tastes better." She then took an exaggerated bite of her stolen delicacy.

At that point, Albus Dumbledore casually walked in and joined the group. He seemed amused at Harry sharing a bed with Dobby and Tonks. Andromeda wondered how much he had heard. Probably most of it.

Dumbledore kindly asked, "I wonder if I could have a moment alone with Harry?"

Andromeda simply said, "No." Her tone was not hostile at all, but it was unyielding.

Harry looked up from his bacon battles. "Professor, you can talk in front of… my family." He tentatively waited for someone to contradict him, but no one did. Tonks moved a few of her own slices to his plate and got up.

Feeling the motions on the bed, Harry's Familiar poked her heads out from under the pillow. _§ "This better be good!" "No kidding…" "Maybe Dobby could feed us something?" §_ She slithered out and coiled up, waiting.

After everyone seemed settled, Dumbledore summoned over a few chairs and cast a privacy ward. Dobby winked out and appeared again with a fourth cup of tea.

Albus looked kindly at the little fellow. "Thank you, Mr. Dobby. You are a credit to your house." Dobby beamed with pride.

"Yesterday was a tremendous victory, Harry. You should take pride in how well you performed."

Andromeda exchanged a glace with her daughter. They were both in 'protective' mode. She'd let it play out… for now.

Harry didn't seem happy.

"If I may ask, what has you so troubled? I can assure you; any loss of life was not something you should feel responsible for."

Harry looked a bit surprised. "I thought you preferred the use of stunners and body binds."

Albus took a slow breath, then smiled sadly. "There is a time and place for lethal force Harry. Had you responded with less than you were capable, you and Miss Tonks would no longer be with us." The Headmaster looked closer for a moment. "There's something else, isn't there?"

Harry looked at his Familiar. "I blew it. The war could have been over… If I just… You were winning. Without Lucius' interference the war would have ended before it even began."

No one said anything. They had all seen the memory. They all knew that he had struggled whether to kill Lucius.

"Harry, let me assure you that your refusal to kill Lucius may be your greatest victory. Killing someone in battle… in self-defence… is unfortunate, but understandable. Murdering a helpless adversary is something altogether different."

Andromeda added, "You did the right thing, Harry. Don't ever think otherwise."

Harry scoffed, "What about the 'Greater Good'?"

Dumbledore adopted a serious, but still calm demeanour. "Do you know who the last powerful Wizard to use that as their motto was? Gellert Grindelwald. He was once very much like you, Harry. Idealistic. Powerful. Some would even say he was selfless in his ambitions. He committed atrocities in his quest to improve the life of Wizards and Witches. Any time someone says… it's for the Greater Good… be very wary. Because it implies someone will have to make sacrifices."

Harry stared at his headmaster in disbelief. "But you always seem to go after the Greater Good!"

Dumbledore took a deep breath. "I have been guilty of that… But many of my actions were intended to help the individual. Sometimes… I had to make sacrifices and ask others to as well. But unlike Gellert, I always tried to find other options _ **first**_. Never have I been proud when I have been forced to overlook the needs of the individual. Wizards like Gellert, simply don't care."

Harry didn't know what to say. Sometimes he wanted to strangle the old man with his own beard. He couldn't argue about not killing a helpless man… but he wished he had fired a Confringo and ended Lucius permanently. Why did he use the body bind? Enough.

Harry pointed to the Daily Prophet, now lying on the floor. "They all think I drove off Voldemort… Why didn't you tell them you were beating him? I got lucky. The Deatheaters were trying to catch me alive… Then Voldemort gave me the first shot… He had no idea I would use that spell. I would have lost in a real duel. I saw you two fighting… No, I should have killed Lucius! Then we could have wrapped up the hunt for his Horcruxes and the war would end before it started. **I blew it!** "

The room was suddenly becoming quite cold. The air began to smell like an Alpine Forest. Fir trees, Oak, and roses. Crisp and clean. So much for hot tea.

Andromeda stood up. "No, Harry. Had you killed Lucius, nothing would have changed. Someone had to have freed him… He was not alone, and I suspect my sister had been there all along. Watching. Had you killed Lucius, Draco and Narcissa would never really forgive you. They might honour the agreements you made at the will reading, but that's all. No real loyalty. You would always have to watch over your shoulder. There would also be questions around you going dark… No one who saw you spare Lucius would think that."

Harry hadn't considered that there may be another Deatheater present… "Your sister… She broke her neck… I think." He was sure at the time…

Dumbledore sadly address the question, "Bellatrix Lestrange is barely human, Harry. The blood rituals Voldemort had used on her… Every time she fought, she breaks bones and damages her nervous system… But she regenerates. Humans are not meant to move so fast. A broken neck… No. It would take a decapitation or the complete destruction of major organs… heart, lungs, brain…"

Harry saw the pained look on Andromeda's face. Voldemort had destroyed her sister.

Looking sadly, Dumbledore confirmed what Harry was beginning to suspect. "We have not seen the last of Bellatrix Lestrange." Dumbledore noted this deflated the young man…

"But don't let that overshadow the good that came from last night. The Department of Mysteries is analysing the portkeys carried by the Deatheaters you defeated. Perhaps now they can close the 'back doors' that Augustus Rookwood built into the ward scheme when he was an Unspeakable. This had long been a concern."

Peering over his half-moon eyeglasses, Dumbledore emphasised, "Harry, you saved Nymphadora from certain death. Take pride in that if nothing else."

Harry looked at Tonks and they shared a smile. Yes, that was a victory. The portkey information was unexpected… But he had saved Tonks.

"Professor, the portkeys… How did it work at Hogwarts? I know the cup was already a portkey… but the pen?"

Dumbledore suddenly looked sad again. "The pen was a medical portkey I set up for students with serious medical conditions. The ICW required it and I failed to consider it. I confess to not scrutinising the medically challenged in this regard. Once created, I suspect young Mr. Corbin had a second portkey attached in Hogsmeade. He possessed two other portkeys as well, but they were blocked by the Hogwarts wards."

Harry suddenly recalled how Billy had tried to get him to sign his autograph book on the train and in Hogsmeade. Each time he had a quill, not a pen. That little shite…

Harry asked, "What happened to Billy?"

"Mr. Corbin is in custody. He behaved as he did because his parents and younger siblings were being held hostage. He feels a great remorse over his actions."

Harry gritted his teeth. He knew…"You're letting him off, aren't you? Is he in custody or _protective_ custody?"

Dumbledore calmly asked, "Would you see him sent to Azkaban for trying to save his family? He wouldn't last three days there."

Andromeda suddenly exploded, "Why do you always go so far out of your way to defend and protect the guilty? You'll never change, Albus Dumbledore."

Dumbledore solemnly reminded them all, "Nymphadora had already been captured when the portkey was activated. This was Voldemort's final attempt at getting the prophesy regarding Harry. Had Mr. Corbin failed in his task, your daughter would have been slain and Voldemort would have recovered the prophesy himself. And Billy Corbin would have been an orphan."

The mood had suddenly turned sour. Albus realised that Harry had far too many people harm him and get away with it. But this was different…

Dumbledore changed the topic. "Harry, I wonder if you will tell me why you didn't kill Lucius Malfoy?"

Harry thought for a moment. Whatever. "He was helpless. And… He was Draco's dad."

The Headmaster adopted a self-satisfied look… "Of course. Did you know that I taught Lucius' parents? His father, Abraxas, was a proud and obstinate man, but he wasn't cruel. Not until he took the mark. His mother… was kind. Virginia Burke. She was a gifted witch and a proud member of the Ravenclaw house. She was patient and kind and enjoyed tutoring other students who were struggling. Unfortunately, there was a Betrothal contract…"

Harry tilted his head, "What does that have to do with my sparing Lucius Malfoy. Or Billy Corbin?"

Dumbledore gave a very slight grandfatherly smile. "It's easy to seek vengeance on strangers and people you have no connection with. Imagine how hard it is for me, having taught all the Deatheaters and their parents. Their brothers and their sisters. Even a few of their grandparents. Your friendship with Draco should give you some insight."

Harry started to say something but stopped. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. If the Headmaster was hinting at something… it wasn't obvious. Just that he felt bad about fighting old students. Harry kind of understood that. Yes, Dumbledore felt a lot of guilt… but a rabid dog should always be put down. Right?

The Headmaster gave an exaggerated shrug. "You see, Harry… there are no easy answers. I'll never forget the sadness on Virginia's face when she attended her son's trial… Or her look of resignation at her husband's funeral. That poor woman never deserved the hand she was dealt."

Harry considered it a moment, then added, "Lucius weaselled out of paying for his crimes with that damn Imperious Defence. That and his money." Both Harry and Tonks grimaced.

Dumbledore gently said, "There is more than a grain of truth to the defence, Harry. But I know enough about Lucius' activities to know he was guilty of many terrible choices and never paid his debt. Until yesterday morning, that is. That's when the bill came due."

Dumbledore let that sink in. Lucius was dead… killed by the master he had served.

Dumbledore chose that silent moment to make his offer. "Harry, you mentioned having luck on your side with the Deatheaters. You also admit to feeling that you would not have succeeded in a duel with Voldemort. I believe you are only partially correct.

Harry shook his head. "No, sir. I can't match him in skill and I'm only his equal in raw power."

"You defeated thirteen Deatheaters. Even if they had been casting the killing curse, I believe you would have prevailed. Defeating Bellatrix was no minor feat. Admittedly, Voldemort is still beyond your reach."

Harry knew he was correct. He resolved to wait and see where the Headmaster was going with this.

"Your problem is that you don't have a fighting style of your own. You emulate your mother when using Charms and Elemental magic, and your father with Illusions and Transfiguration. While they were both capable combatants, they weren't you. Your thought process, skill, and proclivities are different. Not to mention your raw power."

Harry knew he was hinting. "What are you suggesting, Professor?" He just wished Dumbledore would stop hinting around and get to the point. It was infuriating how dramatic the Headmaster could be.

Albus had that twinkle in his eye. "Come back to Hogwarts next term. Let me train you. I believe between Filius and myself, we can get you to a point where you are able to own your own against Voldemort."

Andromeda groaned, "Albus…"

The headmaster held up his hands. "Hear me out. Your spell arsenal is quite impressive. You have natural talents that I haven't seen since… Well, an exceptionally long time. You are clearly an 'Ambi-caster', but you don't use that in combat. Your mother was as well, but she lacked the coordination you seem to have in abundance… Filius has never trained an 'Ambi-caster' and would relish the challenge. Once you find your rhythm, you will be a force to be reckoned with. I'm offering to apprentice you and train you in Battle Magic. Amongst other things."

Harry couldn't help but be suspicious. "What's the catch?" It seemed too good to be true. So, it probably was.

Albus Dumbledore smiled. "You will prepare for your NEWTs over the summer and you must earn 'Outstanding' scores in Charms, Transfiguration and Defence. Since you seem to enjoy Runes… that'll be optional."

Harry thought about it a minute. That was aligned with his own goals… "Anything else?"

Dumbledore looked immensely pleased. "Yes, you take advanced Potions at Hogwarts."

Harry exploded, "Hell No! Snape is the worst… I'll find another trainer…"

Albus interrupted Harry's rant. "Professor Slughorn has agreed to return and will replace Professor Snape as the Potions master. Pending your inclusion in his class. He seems most excited to continue your education."

Harry calmed immediately. "I do like professor Slughorn. He's an amazing teacher…"

Albus adopted a reserved look. "I do have a few other conditions I need you to agree to."

Harry tried to raise one eyebrow like Andromeda… he failed but managed to raise both in an odd little display that only Tonks seemed to pick up on.

Albus laid down the rules. "You will have to be respectful of the faculty. No openly rebellious behaviour. I am aware of your past differences, but while you are a student here, you must behave accordingly."

Harry considered it, "I'll agree as long as disciplinary decisions go through you." Seeing the Headmaster pause, he added, "I don't trust Snape and I will walk out of this school and never look back if he tries to treat me the way he did for four straight years. If he starts insulting my father or my godfather… I'll make sure everyone in our world knows he's the man who passed on the knowledge that resulted in the death of my parents."

Seeing Dumbledore considering the request, Harry added, "Would you like me to share some of the insults he's hurled at me over the years? I won't take it again. I also haven't forgotten that he killed Franklin… but if he avoids me, I'll do the same. For a year."

Dumbledore looked confused, "Franklin?" He was searching through the different students…

Harry reminded him. "The snake that used to watch my back when I was being cursed. Which brings me to my girls. They stay with me and I'm not letting anyone have their venom or scales or whatever. My girls are kind and sensitive. If anything happens to them, I won't let it go."

Harry chose to ignore the startled whispers of his Familiar.

_§"That would be rude!"… "You tell him Harry!"… "Who does he think he is?"… "Oh please, Fuzzy face hasn't said anything about us."… "Then why is Harry having to defend us?"… "He's just making sure."… "That's why we love Harry."§_

Dumbledore brushed his beard with his right hand. "I… see. I can understand your… concerns with Professor Snape. Perhaps it _**would**_ be best if the two of you avoid one another. Very well. All punishments will go through me. However, I will also allow any instructor you are learning from to have similar disciplinary authority."

Harry thought for a moment. "Fair enough." He liked Professor Flitwick and Slughorn. Dumbledore would realise he had forgotten McGonagall at some point, but a deal was a deal.

Albus continued. "Your Familiar, lovely though she may be, is quite dangerous. She can accompany you to my training sessions, but it will be up to each individual instructor to allow or deny your Familiar's presence when you are with the general student population. Which brings me to the next point. You may not attack or harm another student. If provoked, you must walk away. No matter the provocation. As should your Familiar."

Harry had expected this. "I'll walk away until someone starts throwing curses at me. I _**will**_ defend myself. And my Familiar." Seeing deep concern on the Headmaster's face, he added, "I won't kill someone for a 'leg lock' jinx. I'll even try not to kill someone using lethal curses, but I won't ignore it."

Deciding to clarify, Harry simplified his stance. "Self-defence only and I'll make every attempt to keep my response non-lethal."

Albus thought that was fair. "I believe we can work with this. I'll have you staying in one of the apprentice quarters. It'll be smaller than the one you and Draco shared, and situated near Professor Flitwick. Your own mother stayed there during her brief apprenticeship with Professor Flitwick. Before travelling to France and training with the Flamels."

Harry had a point of exclusion to make on the condition. "Professor, if the war comes to Hogwarts, all restrictions come off. I won't hold back with students or teachers who follow Voldemort. I won't play that game."

After three long seconds, Albus Dumbledore reluctantly agreed. "If the war comes to Hogwarts… We should both be decisive with our responses. But only if fighting breaks out."

Harry suddenly had a thought, "What about Draco?"

The Headmaster furrowed his brow. "It may be best if… you and Draco appear less comfortable around one another. It was noted that he wasn't invited to your OWL party… so he should be able to re-integrate and supply you with information."

Harry understood. "I see."

Dumbledore made one other request. "Please know that some of the Deatheaters who perished in the ministry have relatives at Hogwarts. Theodore Nott, specifically. There are other students related to Jugson, Avery, and Travers. Most are not close relations, but you should still avoid them."

Andromeda had been listening intently and had decided to let Harry negotiate his return. She had planned to insert herself if she thought it was unsafe or unreasonable. Up until now, she thought it was a good discussion, but a line just got crossed.

Andromeda asked, "What will Hogwarts be doing to ensure my ward isn't targeted by these students? I want assurances, Albus. Otherwise… he will not be returning."

Harry could tell Dumbledore was unsurprised. "Andromeda, rest assured that the entire faculty will be on the highest levels of alert. To be frank, after what happened to Dolores and at the ministry, I expect those students to stay quite far away from Mr. Potter. In all honesty, I suspect many students will be avoiding your ward."

Andromeda looked surprised, "Why do you mention Dolores? He has been exonerated."

Albus looked tired. "Because many students saw Mr. Potter staring down Inquisitors as he walked through the halls. They also know he never backed down from Professor Umbridge. Additionally, there's a rumour in Slytherin House that Harry was in the Theatre alone when Professor Umbridge and her followers crashed the party. This rumour persists despite the many witnesses that said that Harry was with them when they escaped."

Silence.

Dumbledore then looked directly at Harry. "You see, Harry, not all of the Inquisitors were of the same mind set regarding your torture and murder. Four of the Inquisitors wanted no part in what they believed would happen and one of the four proceeded to contact Professor Snape to petition for help on your behalf. They all resolutely maintain you were there, while many other students maintain you were not."

Harry thought a moment… Yeah, a few stepped out. Daphne Greengrass, Adrian Pucey, Pansy Parkinson, and Millicent Bulstrode. But that raised the question…

"Professor Dumbledore, if they were so sure I was there, why didn't they tell the Aurors?"

Albus looked grim now. "I suspect they were also a bit relieved to be rid of the most violent and feared members of their house. But I would hypothesise that the primary reason was that they, like Billy Corbin, had let their fear dictate their actions. To be clear, they were terrified of crossing you. You may very well be the most feared student at this school."

No one said a word for a good thirty seconds.

"Well… That's just silly." Harry changed the subject, "So, you mentioned that I'm an 'Ambi-caster'. What's that?"

Dumbledore was glad for the change in topics. "An 'Ambi-caster' is a Wizard or Witch who could cast nearly as well with his or her off-hand as with their primary. I've even observed you writing left-handed from time to time. Additionally, you appear to possess the required reflexes and coordination to be a dual-wanded fighter. One of the many opportunities for improvement I'd like to explore next year."

Harry smiled. "I assume you won't be taking away my wand."

Dumbledore chuckled for a moment, then said, "No, Harry. I confess that I thought you would be less apt to get into trouble without your wand… I was gravely mistaken." As he rose and turned to leave, he asked one question he was curious about.

"The spell you used to drive off Voldemort… I'm curious where you learned it."

Harry tried to remember what Penelope had told him… "It's Black family magic. It originated with the Alaric family… I believe. Black now, though."

Albus sighed. "Ah. Well, that would make sense. The Alaric's were known for their Battle Magic. They also possessed a high affinity for Divination. Well, when you're ready, come by my office and you can use my Floo to travel home. Andromeda. Nymphadora… Thank you for your time."

Albus Dumbledore walked slowly away whilst considering what he had learned. Watching the memory of Harry using a Body Switching Charm on Nymphadora resulted in his sudden understanding of what happened to Dolores Umbridge. James once used the same Body Switching charm when he was in an ambush… All the cards fell into place. Remembering the look of horror on Harry's face when he saw the report on Dolores' injuries… and his refusal to kill a defenceless man that Albus knew he hated… It was a relief to know Harry had not given into darker impulses. He still was perplexed at how Harry somehow managed to Apparate within Hogwarts. No, that was impossible. Occam's razor*… He likely had another student use Polyjuice to impersonate him…

The spell he used to drive off Voldemort was a new mystery. No other Blacks had used that spell and Harry is a terrible liar. Albus recognised it the moment he saw the memory. He also knew the Alaric family eventually became the Grindelwald family. How had Harry gotten his hands on that specific spell? A spell that had _never_ been replicated. A spell he had seen first-hand and knew how devastating it was.

That specific spell cemented his suspicions. For months now, Albus had been quietly looking for evidence of Lycoris' survival… Hoping his hunches were wrong… Once he began looking, the signs were there. But you had to look very, very closely. You had to know _exactly_ what you were looking for. And you had to look around those who would endanger her daughter in the past and grandson in recent years. He doubted he'd ever succeed in catching that unbelievably paranoid and cunning woman without aid. He had tried too many times in the forties and fifties and failed. If she were still alive, that would mean she was even more elusive and harder to catch than… Empathy from a sociopath… Perhaps he should reach out to a few old allies from the war with Grindelwald. Unfortunately, few still lived… Dan Akee _might_ still be alive… somewhere. They had fallen out of touch.

But, then again… Did he really want to? It would be a massive distraction that, given his previous experiences, would likely result in failure. Potentially, the loss of life of friends and allies. Allies that he needed now.

Also… The enemy of my enemy…

Perhaps he would have a large glass of Fire Whiskey.

— **DoD 38—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Office**

**June 26, 1996**

Three powerful Wizards were meeting quietly and covertly. Albus Dumbledore, Saul Croaker, and Fritz Oppenheimer were gathering to discuss the coming war. It was a small group due to the need for secrecy. After Rookwood's betrayal, Saul was far more careful with who he trusted.

Saul began with the wards. "The portkeys we recovered helped us identify and remove a 'back door' that Rookwood had built into the wards. We discovered three other questionable elements in the designs… There may be other vulnerabilities we haven't found yet. Quite frankly, Rookwood was a brilliant Unspeakable and was the leader in many of our rituals."

Albus had expected this. "Saul, perhaps we can build in similar safety measures for Mr. Potter and his friends. If the war turns against us… I fear for their safety."

Saul looked suspiciously at Dumbledore, "What did you have in mind, Albus?"

"Removal of the Trace. Immunity to the ministry wards. An echo to prevent the ministry from accurately tracking him. And his closest friends. I've already adjusted the wards at Hogwarts. I'd like to see that undone."

Fritz took that moment to make a dark proclamation, "The ministry will fall. I'm more than ninety percent certain. We should begin planning for the collapse."

This alarmed Albus. "How long…?"

Fritz focused for a moment. "Eleven to twenty-four months."

Saul grunted. "Shite… That's not very specific, Fritz."

Fritz shifted uncomfortably… "It depends on whether or not… Albus dies during the coming school year."

Albus smiled and chuckled for a moment. "My death has been predicted before, Fritz. I fully intend to survive this war and have a peaceful retirement."

Fritz pursed his lips. "With all due respect, Albus… _**I've**_ never predicted your death before. I'd say you have a… slim possibility of survival, but that's all. The ministry will fall regardless. We need to prepare for the worst."

Albus agreed. "Very well. Mr. Potter will be training with me next year. I advise you to train him over the summer, Fritz. He is truly a gifted Wizard. His unusual Divinatory talents could make the difference…"

"Ha!" Fritz scoffed. "Nothing _unusual_ about it Albus. I'd say it's genetic. The eyes are a dead giveaway."

Albus rolled his eyes, "Fritz, do focus on the 'here and now', not on ridiculous conspiracy theories. Harry is destined to battle Riddle. We've all heard the prophecy. He **_must_** be trained."

Saul thought they were being optimistic. "That's all well and good, but we also need to ensure that we have escape routes for refugees and those targeted. This is going to be a rough ride even if we're well prepared. Albus, I need a list of individuals that require 'extra' protection. We'll begin quietly adjusting the wards and we'll remove the trace as well as any locator signals."

Albus handed him a list he had prepared.

Saul looked over the list. "I'll need blood or hair samples. Preferably blood, but hair will allow a lessened immunity."

Albus looked cautiously at the Senior. Unspeakable. "Before I supply that, I will require a magical oath that neither of you will use the samples for any purpose other than creating an immunity to the ministry wards and tracking rituals. Once completed, any remaining samples will have to be destroyed."

Fritz groaned, "Why do you need that? We're all on the same side here."

Albus just smiled. "And your vow will ensure that we all remain aligned."

Saul didn't want to dicker over this. "Very well. You'll have the vow. Now… How is your Horcrux hunt proceeding?"

Albus knew this was going to be an exceptionally long meeting.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**June 23, 1996**

After returning from Hogwarts, Harry knew the war was heating up. He planned to be at the front of the war, not hidden away behind others. To do that, he needed to become even better than great. He needed to be the next Dumbledore or Grindelwald. He needed to cross the threshold between great wizards and legendary wizards.

Albus offering to train him was a plus. His parent's incarnations had passed on most of their knowledge, but training in his Dreamscape wasn't the same as training awake. Timing… balance… so many different factors would need to be tweaked. And Dumbledore mentioned finding his own style... But he needed 'Outstanding' scores on three challenging topics. He had the skills and could likely get an Exceeds Expectations with minimal effort. But an Outstanding on a NEWT required a great deal of preparation. It wasn't enough to know the material, you must be able to write a grammatically correct essay on numerous topics. An essay that was written perfectly…

Harry planned to focus intently on his NEWT studies and let his survival studies take a backseat. The more he thought about it, he needed to brush up on the discoveries in the last twenty years and polish up his writing skills. Hermione could help. No Potions training until next term. He added two four hour sessions a week in Divination studies with Mr. Oppenheimer. He'd keep up with Runes and Curse-breaking… primarily because he really liked the subjects. Every spare minute would be spent with Ginny.

Hopefully, no one would mind that Dumbledore twisted a few arms to let him take his NEWTs at Castelobruxo. They have their NEWT tests in mid-August. That gave Harry about seven weeks to get ready. Madam Bones pushed the request through. Fudge was 'soon to be removed' from office and Amelia Bones was the likely replacement. By the end of July, the ministry would have a strong and determined leader.

In the here and now Harry had a critical meeting to set up. The sooner the better.

— **Dance of Death—**

**Gringotts**

**Private Conference Room**

**July1, 1996**

Harry was sitting comfortably in the conference room with Bill. He had condensed the walking staff he made when he was first immobilised by the thorns down to about a foot and a half. It still bristled with Wyld magic as well as his own blended pattern. He knew he was taking a risk in giving it up.

Suspended in a glass tube was the Basilisk heartstring that had been extracted from the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets in his second year. There was enough harvested to make three wands. Harry chose one of the three at random… it just seemed like a good fit to him. But all three were probably equal in potency. He had a few horns and fangs in his vault if needed.

An elderly man with a thick beard and long white hair pulled back over his head and down to his shoulders was escorted into the conference room. Harry and Bill rose and greeted the man.

Harry extended his hand, "Mr. Gregorovitch, thank you for agreeing to this meeting."

Bill gave a simple nod, saying, "It's an honour."

The man had a thick Eastern European accent. "Stop buttering me up, I'm here now… let's get down to business, shall we?" He sounded gruff, but he had an amused look on his face. His eyes were sharp and focused.

Harry liked him. "Mr. Gregorovitch, I'd like you to make me a wand. A unique wand and I have all the ingredients."

The man reached out and picked up the shaft of wood Harry had brought with him. "What kind of wood is this?" He was closely examining it.

Harry didn't want to say it was a piece of wood from a human/rose hybrid magically created just after a merging.

"Well, umm it's pretty dark and has thorns… So, I guess its Blackthorn."

Gregorovitch looked equally amused and offended. "That's not how it works, young man. If we go by colour, I think I would call it 'Bloodwood'… But you are the customer. I'll humour you. 'Blackthorn' that's not Blackthorn…."

"Now, the core…" He lifted the glass tube and peered closely at it. He looked as if it was some form of mystery to be solved.

Harry let him inspect it a moment.

The elderly man said, "This is not a Dragon Heartstring…" He then raised his eyebrows and waited, looking at Bill and Harry.

Harry knew he had him. "No, sir. It's a Basilisk heartstring. I killed it myself."

The man seemed disappointed. "Then it is most likely worthless. The crow of the rooster disrupts and destroys the magic. Do you have a horn instead? That should be magically intact."

Harry had never heard that about the heartstring. On a Dragon, it's the most magically powerful part in a wand. but he didn't use a rooster, so… "Mr. Gregorovitch, I killed the Basilisk with a sword… not a rooster. But I do have a horn, if required."

The old wand maker suddenly lit up. "A magically intact basilisk heartstring… Amazing… I wonder when the last one was harvested... fashioned. If ever…"

Harry was suddenly concerned. "Well… I don't want a wand that's sensitive to rooster crows."

Mykew Gregorovitch laughed deep and heartily. "You are an entertaining Wizard, Mr. Potter! No, the Basilisk was already dead. A rooster's crow would do nothing… The beast is dead, and its magic was undisrupted at death. Amazing. Keep your horn… This is all I need."

After reviewing the wood again and carefully handling it to avoid the thorns. The wand maker held it up beside the core. He looked log and carefully. He gently set the wood and the core down.

He looked curiously at Harry again, "The wood and the core are somehow related. There are trace amounts of venom in the wood that's been rendered inert. A bit of… phoenix tears as well... Yes, I can make this work. I can make this work very nicely." He then smirked at Harry. "This wood is infused with _**your**_ blood, am I right?"

Harry almost didn't want to answer. Could it be used against him? "Yes sir. I… maybe this isn't a good idea. I can use a different wood."

"No, no, no, Mr. Potter. This is the kind of pairing A wand maker dreams about… I will personally guarantee you no one will touch this wand but me. And my reputation is more important to me than anything else in this world. My reputation is what will make me immortal. As will this wand." He had a suddenly hungry look on his face. "You will use this wand to destroy your British Dark Lord…"

Harry thought about the way his wand locked with Voldemort's due to the cores. "That's the plan, sir."

The old man suddenly looked confused and slightly suspicious, "Why not use your own wand. Holly and phoenix feather… a rare and immensely powerful combination."

Harry hated sharing so much… but enough people already knew. "Voldemort's wand and my own share the same cores."

The old man began laughing. "Of course you do! That explains why you used a different wand in your last battle. It was curved and the one you have now is straight." He was still chuckling. "I will make this wand. It will be one of my finest… certainly my most unusual."

With a sudden fire behind his eye, Gregorovitch proceeded, "Now, you do know that I follow the grain. Unlike Garrick Ollivander, I do not force the wood into a shape that isn't natural… Of course, he only uses wood with straight grain. We are both master craftsmen, but we differ in our approach. This wand will have a bit of life to it. Basically straight, but a few knobs and knuckles. Slightly thicker, than your Holly wand. I don't favour 'whippy' wands, even if they do have a few very minor advantages. I also don't build in handles… it'll all be one piece with a side that is slightly thicker and fits better in the hand."

Harry thought that sounded like a handle, but he kept that to himself. He did want to reassure the wand maker that he had seen his work.

"Mr. Gregorovitch, I saw a few of your designs in use by Durmstrang students… Viktor Krum…"

"Yes, yes. Hornbeam and Dragon Heartstring. A particularly good wand. This one will be slightly straighter and a touch thicker. Knobbier." He gave Harry a conspiratorial look and asked, "What did you think of it, Mr. Potter? Victor's wand?"

Harry answered honestly, "I thought it was beautiful."

"Yes… of course. Why else would you have called me out of retirement?" He seemed immensely pleased. "My wands are a work of art. My sons are exceptionally good wand makers… but I have a bit more experience."

Gregorovitch went back to business. "Which arm do you prefer to cast with?"

"I'm apparently an Ambi-caster. Next year, I'll be trained to fight with two wands."

"That is… interesting. You own a Holly and Phoenix wand… Powerful and tends to be aggressively defensive. In a month, you will have a Basilisk and Thorny… blood wood... black thorn... whatever wand to pair with it. I suspect it will be very aggressively offensive. You're wands will be complementary, neither is passive... Use your current wand. Show me defence and offence. With each hand."

Harry conjured a target and cast a piercing curse at it from each hand. He then cut it in half with a cutting curse. Then, in half again, from the other hand. After that, he cast a Shield charm from each hand. He finished with transfiguration cast from each hand. When he was done, he looked at Gregorovitch and waited.

"Your current wand functions slightly better in your left hand. Make sure you switch it around from time to time. Very well rounded, but then it's a phoenix feather wand… Your right hand seems to be more aggressive… by a _very_ slight degree. You are also right eye dominant. But you seem acceptably accurate with your left hand… but perhaps not quite as accurate as your right. Fairly common for an aggressive wand… Your new wand will prefer your right hand likely. Again, make sure you use it in each hand from time to time. Yes, right-handed. How tall are you…? Five foot seven? Eight? I expect you will reach five foot nine… possibly five foot ten. Proportional arms... Average hand size… Yes. All very standard."

Harry mentioned, "I do prefer a fast wand. If possible. Especially if it's offensive."

Gregorovitch scoffed a bit but didn't dignify the statement with a comment. Clearly, it was a stupid request. Bill chuckled a bit.

The wand maker seemed to be finishing his thoughts. "I'll keep your wand between nine and half and eleven inches. The wood will guide me. Garrick would refer to it as 'unyielding', I'll call it 'Durable' and 'Combat Ready'. And yes, Mr. Potter, all my wands are fast."

Gregorovitch seemed to be considering something…

The wand maker suddenly looked at Harry with a large grin. "Five hundred Galleons. And believe me when I say, for this wand, that's a steal."

Harry did the math in his head… That was the equivalent of… Twenty-five hundred pounds**. Not cheap, but much less than a car. He didn't want to haggle, and he doubted the wand maker would accept less.

"Alright. But I want your word of honour that these ingredients will only be used in this wand. Any leftovers will have to be destroyed."

The wand maker smiled savagely and held up his own wand and said, "I vow to honour this agreement and protect your 'Blood Wood' and Basilisk heartstring." They all felt magic accept the vow. It wasn't deadly like an unbreakable vow, but it still carried weight.

Still smiling, the old wand maker said, "Meet me in a month. I will give you a wand that you can use to kill your 'Unnameable' Dark Lord."

Harry shook the man's hand. "Thank you, sir."

Gregorovitch was still smiling. "You say 'thank you' now… but it is just words. In one month, we will meet again, and you will say it… _**with your heart**_." He emphasised the last part.

Harry gave a slight nod. "I'll see you in a month."

— **Dance of Death—**

***Occam's razor – Also known as the law of Parsimony is used to solve problems. It states that "The simplest explanation is most likely the correct one." It's not always right, but it usually is.**

****Harry has the conversion rate wrong. In my stories it is 40-50 pounds to the galleon. Harry originally thought it was 5 pounds to the galleon. He learns the truth in Casting Shadows.**

**Notes:**

**The scene with Harry and Tonks fighting over bacon was based on watching a pair of siblings steal 'skittles' from each other one year at Halloween. It was all good fun as there was more than enough to go around. When the skittles eventually ran low, it got serious! I thought it would be nice to show Harry and Tonks in a sibling type of relationship. I'd love to read a story where they grow up together. Maybe I'll write on one day. If anyone knows of a good one, do share.**

**The memory had to be shared, but Mr. Felder sneakily added the clause where 'nothing viewed could be used against Harry'. That meant the switching charm couldn't be admissible if anyone chose to go after him for Umbridge's assault. It was bound to come out, now Harry had a level of protection. Assume the paperwork was written perfectly for the memory. That's what they do.**

**The Gregorovitch scene was a challenge. I wanted him to be excited at the prospect of creating one last and extremely powerful wand. A wand carried by Harry Potter who was coming into his own. It was like having an opportunity to create a masterpiece that will outlive you. This will be his final masterpiece. Remember, he was an adult when Dumbledore and Grindelwald were teenagers.**

**This chapter wraps up Harry's fifth year. The feedback and reviews have been amazing, and I try to respond to them all. Thank you for the encouragement and for pointing out where disconnects exist between Dance of Death and Casting Shadows. It's hard to write a prequel before finishing the primary story line. I'll be far more careful going forward.**

**I plan to take a brief pause now and tighten up my year 6 and 7 outlines before writing the next chapter. I deviated from the original outline in several areas and a re-write of the Year 6 & 7 outlines is needed to keep the story flowing. During the next few weeks, I'll try to build up a buffer in this story and Casting Shadows to aid in timely releases. Expect a delay for a short period of time, then alternate releases between my two stories. Maybe even a Chimera Rising release if I feel the need to write something different.**

**Thanks again.**

**Next Chapter: Year Six – The Apprenticeship.**


	39. Chapter 39

— **Dance of Death 39—**

**In the last chapter, Harry wrapped up year 5 and was recovering from the Battle in the Department of Mysteries. The one favourable outcome of that battle was the proof that Voldemort had returned. Harry has been lying low to avoid unwanted attention as Voldemort's return put Magical Britain in a mild panic. Compounding the attention was the fact that Harry had somehow been able to drive him off once again. Overnight, he went from being a murder suspect to a national hero once more.**

**Harry realised that he needed more training in Battle Magic to reach the level of ability he saw Dumbledore and Voldemort demonstrating in their duel. He met Dumbledore and agreed upon specific terms before he would return to Hogwarts. One of those terms was the completion of his NEWTs to an Outstanding grade evaluation in Transfiguration, Charms, and Defence. An optional NEWT in Charms was up to him. To this end, he threw himself back into his studies.**

**This is where we pick up.**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.**

**FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories. Many of the spells in this chapter are from the Earthdawn setting, I just put a Latin name on them.**

" _ **§Example of Parseltongue §."**_

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

— **Dance of Death 39—**

**Summer Entanglements**

**Grimmauld Place**

**July 21, 1996**

**Sunday**

The Weasley family and Hermione were all staying at Grimmauld Place along with the Tonks and the Malfoys. It was getting a rather cramped, but they all managed. Fortunately, it was a big house. Some areas were warded and only those in the Black family could go into the library and the master suite. Harry rarely left the house and it was generally not considered safe to roam about London as the Death Eaters were beginning to target families and individuals. The Order was stretched thin trying to defend and protect. Two weeks ago, Amelia Bones had been murdered in her manor.

Amelia Bones was the favoured candidate for Minister and her strong stance was what set her apart from other candidates. Unfortunately, she had been murdered at Bones Manor while Susan was at her friend Hannah's house. Harry knew Amelia regretted ending the Alliance that powered the original wards at Bones Manor, but who could have predicted this? She came through for him in the end with the Umbridge investigation… and he really didn't want Susan to be orphaned again. It had been a rough week.

Harry was currently sitting in the gym with Ginny. It was public enough that no one would mind them being alone, but private enough for them to be a 'couple'. Thank god for dragon-hide gloves! Harry was preparing for his NEWTs and Hermione was helping Ginny get ahead in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Summer was halfway over and with all the studying, they were both stretched thin timewise. Ginny was going to the Holyhead training camp tomorrow and wouldn't return until just before school started, so she and Harry made a point to spend the entire weekend together.

Listening to Ginny talk about how excited she was for the coming year was nice and relaxing. She was just so animated and full of life. Not only was it her OWL year, but with Alicia and Angelina graduating, the Gryffindor Quidditch team was being re-built. Katie was the new captain and she had asked Ginny to be her backup. Professor McGonagall gave the two girls permission to meet at Hogwarts to practice and devise new drills three times a week. Their first order was to require everyone to try out for their positions.

Ginny's new broom 'the Boomslang' had arrived. Sirius had it special ordered for her in his will and it was a beauty. On top of that, she used the credit Sirius had bequeathed her at Quality Quidditch Supplies and updated her gear. She was ready but had confessed to being concerned about Ron… Ron was extremely nervous about the try outs. Everyone knew how good McLaggen was, but no one really liked him. Well, Katie seemed to get along with him alright, but she got along with almost everyone. Ginny was certain Ron would get the keeper spot if he just kept his head.

After a long discussion around her Quidditch plans, she paused and became pensive for a moment.

She looked over and was chewing on her lower lip. "Harry, I want you to… do something for me."

"For you? Anything."

She stopped chewing her lip and said, "I want you to try to be nice to people at Hogwarts." Seeing her boyfriend tense up, she added, "You don't have to do much, just don't act like you want to kill everyone."

"Ginny, I threw a big party and invited everyone… isn't that enough? And why should I fake being friendly?"

"Come on, we both know you had the party because you needed witnesses." She shook her head a moment. "This is a big year for me and how you act is… Seriously though, I am a total bitch to the people that treated you the worst two years ago. But remember, they're mostly gone now. If you want to hate on Hannah, go for it. But don't hate Hufflepuff. You know I will personally kick Cho Chang's ass if I get the chance. But most of Ravenclaw is alright. And… be nice to Susan… even though she doesn't deserve it."

Harry was obligated to attend Amelia Bones' funeral and seeing Susan so broken up was not something he enjoyed. He decided it was time to let his animosity toward her go. Forgive and forget? Nope. 'Fake it and move on'… That was more accurate. Dumbledore said the spell used on him was just a homemade cramping jinx that the Horcrux used to its own benefit, but it sure felt personal lying in the dirt… Hannah wasn't getting off so easy.

"Ginny… alright, I'll try. But don't expect too much from me." _Please_ don't expect too much.

She had that look again. "Harry, you forgave Draco Malfoy…" Everyone hated Malfoy… "You hated him more than anyone except his dad and You-Know-Who. Now you two are mates."

Harry angrily exclaimed, "Only after I beat the snot out of him. Besides, I saw how his dad treated him…" after a quiet moment, he calmed down and added, "I won't embarrass you, but don't ask me to be the life of the party."

Ginny laughed. "Harry Potter! _The life of the party_!" She laughed just long enough for Harry to realise that was never in the cards. Soon he was laughing too.

"Hey, I'll have you know I'm reaching out… Lavender sends me the Horoscope every week! She and Parvati plan to initiate me into their little club of mystics…"

Ginny did a double take, then smiled in disbelief. "Harry, you said you wouldn't embarrass me…" She was having fun now.

He grinned innocently back, "Sorry, but I have eight hours a week of Psychometry and Divination training. I'm joining the Divination club! My _third eye_ cannot… _**will not**_ be closed!" He was having fun now. "I just hope they don't haze me…"

"Nooooo Harry, they're crazy!" Ginny was laughing too. "They will predict your doom every week!"

"Honestly, I think they just want to hang out with the Girls." Harry noticed Ginny lost her enthusiasm. She tried to fake it, but his Familiar made her uncomfortable. Not wanting to argue the last day before Ginny left for camp, he changed the subject.

Thinking fast, Harry shifted the conversation back to Quidditch. "So, if you're going to be a chaser, who do you have in mind for seeker?" That should do it. Ginny was more Quidditch crazy than Ron these days.

Brightening up Ginny began listing the different people trying out. "Well, Dennis Creevey was looking like a strong possibility. Demelza Robins could fill the Chaser or the Seeker spot… Fay Dunbar was a likely candidate and looking to be a strong beater, but there were two others who were likely to try out for the second beater… Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote." Ginny had her doubts about these two. "Dean Thomas would make a good back up chaser. It paid to have a backup in case Demelza had to cover for Dennis. Robins might even try out for Seeker and throw Dean into the starting position for Chaser…"

Harry enjoyed watching Ginny get passionate about Quidditch. If not for the damn thorns… Next summer they'd be gone. He didn't like the idea of Dean playing on the same team, though. Harry knew Dean had a thing for Ginny. No thorns either. But he trusted her more than Dean.

Harry noted that he didn't know most of the team… Gryffindor really had turned over quite a bit. As he thought about it, he only knew the team from two years ago and the kids in his year. Maybe not cursing everyone would be easier than he thought.

"Gin, it sounds like you already know whose getting picked."

"Not really, I'm mostly just guessing and considering all the scenarios. Katie has final say." Looking at Harry staring, she asked, "What?"

He could smell her shampoo… and perfume. Someone must have helped pick it out… Even her freckles are cute. He just kept looking at her… with a silly grin.

"I love you." Then he added, "The thorns come off in spring…"

She beamed at him. "I love you too, Harry… Spring, huh?"

God, he wanted to kiss her. He could tell she did too…

Instead she asked, "So, don't you get that second wand soon?"

Harry snapped out of his daydreams. "What? Oh… no. Gregorovitch is having difficulty with the thorns. They keep growing back and they're apparently kind of poisonous. Like Poison Ivy or something, only bad. He's afraid of what it'll be like when a Basilisk heartstring is added. Honestly, the guy is as crazy as Ollivander. He seems to be loving it. But he thinks it'll take a few more weeks."

Ginny looked confused for a moment, "How can the thorns grow back? Doesn't he… Carve and shape it?"

Harry shrugged, "Who knows? Wandmakers all seem crazy. He did send me a bill for an infected injury… so the poison part seems accurate. His wands aren't as refined looking as Ollivander's, but they're still shaped. They just look, more organic." Switching the topic, he exclaimed, "I can't believe I'm going back to Hogwarts!"

Ginny squeezed his hand through the glove, "Forget those people. Now, tell me about your plans for the year…"

Harry talked about learning from Dumbledore and Flitwick. His goals with Battle Magic and how Divination is more fascinating than he dreamed. He even discussed plans to get back into curse-breaking after the war. He had his new broom – 'the Black Mamba' and he was eager to try it once the thorns were gone. He admitted that the pain from the thorns never really went away, he just learned to cope. It was all about 'focus'.

— **Dance of Death 39—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**July 22, 1996**

**Monday**

Monday morning came and Harry bade goodbye to Ginny for the rest of the summer amid promises to write. They had spent the entire weekend together and Harry missed her already. But he had training and studies to get to. Harry was working with Mr. Oppenheimer until the afternoon. He was training Harry to understand how to open his mind up for psychometry without lowering his Occlumency shields. He also gave Harry a set of Tarot cards and a simple guidebook while commenting on Harry's accurately interpreting his reading during the OWL practical.

Harry looked sheepish for a moment, "Mr. Oppenheimer, I was just making it up. The Psychometry was real, but the Tarot cards were… not."

The man seemed amused. "Hmmm well, let's see. My 'Past' card was read as too much of a good thing… Inverted nine of cups. When I was in my twenties, I became very well known in my profession. I began traveling the world seeking out divinations and prophesies. I was obsessed. My wife begged me to stay home and start a family. I wanted to, but I couldn't stop… there was always just one more mystery to pursue. And now I have no wife or family. Inverted nine of cups is _perfect_ for my past."

Harry winced. "Coincidence?" That really sucked.

"Maybe. My 'present' card was an Inverted King of Wands. Belligerent and stubborn. Making incorrect assumptions. Yeah… I was certain you were just wasting my time. I found you amusing, though. I was wrong. About the waste of time, not about being amusing."

Harry chuckled and had to agree. "You were kind of an…. Well, you seemed amused." Harry stopped himself from saying 'arse'.

Mr, Oppenheimer smiled. "Right. And my 'future' card was the Inverted Page of Pentacles. Disappointment and a delayed message." He scratched his chin a moment. "The future readings are always the toughest. The journal you deciphered held a mystery that was too long delayed. It detailed how Dementors were being summoned to Azkaban. They were drawn to and bolstered in their magical might. The wizard who recorded his notes in that journal believed at the time that the Dark Wizard Ekrizdis was building a near unstoppable Dark Army."

Oppenheimer continued, "Whatever Ekrizdis did caused the Dementors to band together as a cohesive group where before they were simply wandering horrors. Ekrizdis somehow created a group mind… like a hive consciousness, perhaps. That made them far more dangerous… at the time, the process was reversible. But now it's set. The window to undo that which had been done is no longer open. Delayed message."

Harry ponded this, "What happened to Ekrizdis?"

"Well, he spent all his time around Dementors… We think it drove him insane. Well, more insane than before. He died of natural causes." He then smirked sarcastically at his student, "The kind of natural causes that occur when you stop eating and drinking."

Seeing Harry grimly considering what he had learned, Oppenheimer gave another, less depressing interpretation of the Inverted Page of Pentacles. "Of course, it could be referencing what you did to the Hall of Prophesies. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to destroy every single prophesy in the room."

Harry laughed a bit then looked at the Tarot cards he'd been given. Harry didn't want to lie.

"I appreciate the gift, Mr. Oppenheimer, but I really think I just got lucky."

"Harry, Tarot readings take time and patience. I think you interpreted my past, present, and future correctly. Now _**you**_ must believe it. Sometimes, it's less about the cards, and more about how you interpret them. This is where keeping yourself open to your own magical awareness is so important. Most practitioners with the gift don't see visions. They observe everyday events and find signs toward the future. Tarot cards just make it easier… The colours, the body language of the images… just how they make you feel. This is especially true for the Rider-Waite-Smith cards. Pamela Coleman Smith was brilliant in her design. She never got half the credit she deserved… Brilliant design all the way down to the predominant colours chosen for each image. But I'm biased. There are plenty of differing opinions around Oracle cards and many swear by Thoth or Marseilles."

Seeing Harry looking intensely at the deck, Mr. Oppenheimer added with a grin, "And they're great fun at parties."

Harry smiled genuinely and laughed a bit. "Thank you, sir." He found that he really did like Mr. Oppenheimer. "Is Pamela Coleman Smith still alive?"

Mr. Oppenheimer looked somewhat sad. "No… she died in 1951. A gifted artist and a beautiful person… Very petite. We called her 'Pixie'. I have all the books she illustrated as well as a number of her original paintings."

Harry wondered, "Was she a Witch, sir?"

"She was a Squib. But I always wondered if… Well, her Divination skills were nothing to sneer at. She is missed by many."

Harry realised his teacher had been friends with the woman. "I'm sorry, sir."

"Thank you, Harry. Please, call me Fritz. When it's just the two of us, I'd prefer to keep it casual." Fritz shook off his melancholy and snapped his fingers, "Alright Harry, let's get started."

— **DoD—**

Later that day, Harry checked in on Hermione. He had convinced her to teach his Familiar to read in exchange for Ancient Runes tutoring. It was fun exchanging ideas with Hermione, she was engaging and insightful. Harry's Familiar had grown quite a bit and was now over four feet long and very thick for her length. But all Runespoors were unusually thick, they had to be to support three heads. Harry had to enchant a backpack to carry her around in now that she had outgrown her messenger bag.

Entering the study, he watched them reading. "Hey, Hermione. How're the lessons coming?" Switching to Parseltongue, he asked, " _§How's study time, girls? §_ "

Hermione spoke before the girls could. "They've picked up reading extremely fast. It must be a Familiar bonding thing… It's less like they're learning to read and closer to _remembering_ how to read."

" _§ This is easy, Harry... I'm getting bored... Can we get some food?... My sisters are slowing me down… Shut it, Hecate! §"_

Harry forcefully exclaimed, _"§ No Biting! NO BITING! §"_

Hermione looked slightly stunned. They girls were hissing and threatening each other. "They got along fine the whole time… I really think they just compete for your attention… But they really are learning at a speed that normally wouldn't be possible. I'd say they're at a… fifth grade level. By the end of summer, they'll be better than most students." Changing the subject, she asked, "So, how did you do on your OWLs? We didn't really compare notes…"

Harry tilted his head and scrunched up his lips a moment. "Well, I did about as well as I expected." Seeing that Hermione wasn't going to stop, he added, "Outstanding in Charms, Transfiguration, Defence, Runes, Potions, and Arithmancy." With his parent's knowledge, it had really been simple.

"Six 'Outstanding' scores is impressive. What about the others?" Hermione was so competitive….

"I passed Herbology and Astronomy with 'Acceptable' scores. History and Divination were 'Exceeds Expectations'…"

Hermione gasped, "What? You actually had a vision in a Divination exam, and you didn't get an 'Outstanding'?"

Harry shrugged. "Well I didn't do that great on the written portion." Seeing Hermione still looking shocked, he added, "I also walked out of the practical before it was over and… I kind of said 'Fuck Divination' to the administrators."

After a few moments, Hermione broke out in laughter. "Only you, Harry…"

Harry laughed with her and added, "I got a 'Dreadful' in Care of Magical Creatures and a 'Troll' in Muggle Studies… But only because I didn't show."

Hermione pulled her hair back. "Well, ten OWLS is still impressive." She was still chuckling and shaking her head. "Muggle raised and a 'Troll' in Muggle Studies…"

"Oi, I was fighting Death Eaters!" He laughed at the irony himself. "How'd you do, Mione?"

She looked both proud and slightly embarrassed, "Eleven Owls."

Harry rubbed his chin. "And the scores were…?"

Hermione blushed a bit. "All Outstanding except… Defence. That was an Exceeds Expectation."

Harry stopped smiling. "How did you not get and Outstanding in Defence? You've been running a study group focused on it…"

"It just doesn't come as naturally for me. Harry, do you know that you may have the only 'Outstanding' OWL in Defence this year? And it's not like the study group was able to meet regularly. Most of the training was more focused on developing situational awareness, not curses and charms… Honestly, I think it's more effective, but no one tests you on that."

Harry didn't like to hear that his best class was Hermione's worst. "Well, we can work on getting that up to an 'Outstanding' for the NEWTs. Of all the subjects, that's the one you'll need the most. But you're right about situational awareness. That'll keep you alive."

Hermione suddenly looked hopeful. "So, are you offering to help lead the Defence Association?"

Harry thought about it for a few minutes. "Maybe. But… well, maybe." He didn't want to help a lot of the people in that class. But like Draco said weeks ago, he couldn't fight the war alone. Hadn't much of the class graduated?

Harry knew the agreement; Hermione taught his Familiar and he taught Hermione. "Hey, Hermione… Instead of Runes, how do you feel about learning the Demotic or Akkadian languages?" He could use a refresher himself.

His friend's eyes lit up… He noticed that Hecate also looked interested. Maybe he could even teach Hermione to write left-handed.

— **Dance of Death 39—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**August 11, 1996**

**Sunday ~ 1AM**

Harry was in his Dreamscape spending time with his parent's incarnations. Their house was now surrounded by a thick forest with enormous trees. One huge tree stood in the distance, far larger than the rest. Harry now came here on average about three or four times a week. Always after his Occlumency exercises. He had reviewed his battle in the ministry at least a dozen times with both parents and they had pointed out a few minor areas he could 'tweak', but overall, they were impressed. His father especially liked the way he had Bellatrix run headfirst into a wall.

In the house that his parent's incarnation lived, they used a muggle television to replay his memories. His father had replayed Bellatrix running into the wall about two dozen times before Lily finally asked him to stop. Both parents had passed on their knowledge at this point, so their meetings were mostly social or focused on reviewing his knowledge for the NEWTs. Harry was impressed with both of his parent's knowledge and writing skills. Between the three of them, they expected the NEWTs to be a snap.

Lily looked over at her son with concern, "Harry, what's eating at you?" He'd been acting awkward all night.

Harry could never hide things from her. "I'm nervous about going back to Hogwarts. I still don't trust the Headmaster and I don't really want to see all those students again. Doctor Gaines says it'll help me get past the year of the tournament… but I'm _really_ not looking forward to it."

Harry saw James tense up. He seemed to think Dumbledore had made mistakes, but not intentionally. Of course, he was an incarnation and really couldn't change his outlook. As much comfort as his parent's incarnations gave him, they weren't his **actual** parents. They were more like interactive wizard paintings. His mum mistrusted Dumbledore and his dad had apparently looked up to the man.

James took a neutral position, "Albus made a lot of mistakes, but he's not a villain, Harry. He can train you and teach you so much… Battle magic is not something people can just learn from a book. He can help get you on the right path to survival."

That was Harry's opening, "I've learned a lot from the Grimoires Madam McKinnon sent over. The Potter magic has some great techniques as well. Couldn't you teach me?"

James nodded, "Not as well as Albus. And unless you plan to wade into a dozen battles, you'll need someone like Albus to speed things up. You saw him in the Ministry…"

Lily inserted herself at this point, "And Filius can help as well. He may not be a Battle wizard, but he's a duelling prodigy. Based on what Albus mentioned, he can train you in Dual Wand fighting… among other things. Now **that** would be a huge benefit. Most fights are small skirmishes and are frequently one on one. But combat is only good for fighting, Horace can help you reintegrate socially."

James groaned, "Oh, boy. Horace Slughorn."

Lily cut her eyes at her husband. Harry knew this was a sensitive topic. At least with Dumbledore they had agreed to disagree.

Lily firmly said, "James, Horace helped me understand the social dynamics of the Wizarding world. He can do the same to Harry."

"Slughorn just wants to be relevant. He's like a parasite… trying to attach himself to anyone who has potential."

Harry didn't want to sit through this again. "Oi! I _like_ Professor Slughorn. He may have his reasons for helping me, but I know he cared about mum. And at least he doesn't pretend to be my grandfather with the twinkling eyes and the guilt trips."

James rubbed his jaw. "True… just don't make any business deals with him."

Lily seemed to silently agree on that. "Harry, go to school to learn. Horace can help if you need someone to talk to about social problems… but avoid anything political. And never discuss alliances or money."

James added, "And keep your guard up. This is **your** year, Harry. After the battle in the ministry, you're no longer just Harry Potter. People will act differently around you. Some might try to prove themselves by… well, you know."

Harry grimaced at that. "Great. Well, at least I'll have my own room."

Lily smiled, "My old room!" Harry had forgotten she had stayed there before going to France.

They spent the rest of the night talking about Quidditch, Runes, and eventually the NEWTs which Harry was taking the following week. And about Ginny.

— **Dance of Death 39—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**August 17, 1996**

**Saturday**

Saturday at noon, Bill, Fleur and Harry walked into Grimmauld Place having just returned from Castelobruxo. It was obvious they were both relaxed and happy. Harry wrapped up his NEWTs, having tested in Ancient Runes, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Charms. Bill had accompanied him and spent the week with Fleur. Officially, they were on guard duty, but they also had plenty of time together on the Rio beaches while Harry was studying and testing.

Harry set his bags down which Kreacher collected and apparated away to unpack and clean his garments. Andromeda noted how relieved the teen looked now that his NEWTs were behind him. He would still take NEWT level potions and Divination classes, but he was transitioning out of the role of student and into the role of apprentice. He had two more weeks to relax and she intended to make those weeks as stress free as possible. Aside from one small request…

Harry saw everyone looking at him expectedly and raised his thumb. "Killed it!" He'd have to wait a bit for the results, but he knew he had done very well. He was ready to sit back and relax.

Harry's Familiar was anxiously awaiting his return. This time, she was too big to stow away. Apparently, Castelobruxo did not allow any animals, Familiar or otherwise, to be present during NEWTs and OWLs. Unfortunately, she had grown too big to fit between his thorns, so he now had to wear gloves to hold her.

" _§ Hello girls! I can't wait to take you to Brazil. You will love it! Merlin, I loved that school! §"_

" _§ Thank god you're back, Harry!... Selene's been bullying us… Hermione says we can read simply fine now… No, I haven't… What did you bring us?... Yes, you've been a nasty snake without your Harry! §"_

Harry had forgotten how they sometimes bickered. _"§ No Biting! Stop! What the…? Seriously, can't you just get along? §"_ He bend down and they each touched noses with him. Until the thorns came off, that was the best he could do. Selene went twice.

After his Familiar calmed down, Harry pulled out a heating stone that resembled a Mayan temple. _"§ Once I get this into our room at Hogwarts, I'll expand it so you guys can have a warm place in the winter. §"_

After unpacking and sharing stories, they all settled in and had a massive lunch. There were so many people at Grimmauld Place now, all the meals were massive. Between the Tonks, the Weasleys, the Malfoys, and the regular stop overs from members of the Order… They practically had to eat in shifts. Harry talked about the Rain Forest and meeting a massive Anaconda. His elementalist side fell deeply in love with the region. It was a brilliant place and he planned to go back soon.

As lunch ended, the boys agreed to a chess match. Hermione abstained, so Harry would play against Draco and Ron would play the winner. Apparently, chess was something Draco and Ron could do without constantly being at each other's throats. Ironically, Harry's Familiar had begun watching them play. Draco appreciated the way the Runespoor subtly freaked Ron out and he took advantage of the distraction. Hermione opted out of the little chess match and left with Fleur to learn a few new charms. It was good that she had Fleur around now that Ginny was away. As Harry, Draco and Ron rose to engage in their battle of wits, Andromeda asked Harry to stay behind.

"Harry, I'd like you to read this letter and consider a response." She looked to be conflicted. The letter was quite thick. It was on par with one of Hermione letters.

Harry took the letter and after the second sentence, he knew who it was from. "Oh, hell no." It was from Billy Corbin.

"Harry, at least read it and…"

"I thought you were as mad about him getting off easily as I was. Now you want me to… reach out to the little bastard?" He paced a bit around the kitchen, then said, "Hell no! I'm tired of getting crapped on and always having to turn the other cheek. Not happening."

"Do me this one favour, then. Just read the letter. That's all." Andromeda waited for him to calm a bit and added, "My frustration at the school was with Dumbledore. I'm not happy that that boy tricked you, but I'm furious that Dumbledore didn't even allow for an investigation. The man disregards the law when it's convenient… simply because he can. In this case, he's probably right. But what about Sirius? What about all those Death Eaters who got off? What about… other decisions?" She almost said Snape but caught herself. No point opening _**that**_ can of worms.

"Andromeda, you have no idea what I've gone through. I'm tired of being everyone's kickball."

"I have no idea what a 'kick-ball' is, but I know you got into a lot of fights, Harry. I know that your house didn't believe you when you said you hadn't entered yourself in the tournament and you were asked to leave Gryffindor. I also know some of your friends stood by you, but many didn't. I know how terrible that must have been… Am I missing anything else?" She suddenly began to wonder if there was even more…

Harry hadn't ever told her about the worst of his years at Hogwarts. The Heir of Slytherin business. The Badges almost all the students wore that said 'Potter Stinks'. The fact that he wasn't really getting in fights as much as he was getting ambushed and cursed in the back. The time three Slytherin students tried to kill him and Snape murdered his pet. Most of Gryffindor attacking him in the common room. How he was cursed in the courtyard… over and over… So much more. He had worked through a lot of this with Dr. Gaines, but he didn't like talking about it outside of therapy. Well, Dudley knew a lot. Draco and Hermione, too. Ginny knew enough. But Andromeda? She probably only knew the clinical 'whitewashed' version of his time at Hogwarts.

"No, Andromeda. That's about it." He didn't want her to… think less of him.

Andromeda looked uncertain. "Harry, if you ever want to…"

"No, I'm fine. I'll read what Billy has to say." Changing the subject, he murmured, "Lunch was great. It really is good to be home." He sounded somewhat robotic.

— **DoD—**

**Later in the basement**

Draco scowled and spat out, "Hell no! You don't owe that little miscreant anything. First, he bothers you for an autograph, then it turns out to be a set up. He's lucky you didn't just kill him when you got back. There's a place for Wizards like that, it's called Azkaban."

The three teens were looking over the chess board. Harry was trying to capture Draco's queen, but he kept forgetting about the knight. Ron was completely engrossed in the game but looked up while Draco was shaking his head in disbelief.

Reluctantly, Ron added his two cents, "Look, I'm the last to throw stones here… yeah, I know. I fucked up. But that kid set you up to get killed, Harry. I messed up a lot, but nowhere near that bad."

Draco looked over and smirked, "Yeah, as best mates go, you really fell short of the mark. I should have made a second badge for you."

Ron went back to staring at the board looking miserable. "Yeah. I know." After a minute he said, "Prat." Draco was still smirking.

Harry thought a moment, "But would either of you done any different than Billy if your family was at risk." It wasn't a rhetorical question. Harry really wanted to know. But he regretted asking it immediately. He thought he knew the answer already.

No one spoke for a good three minutes.

Draco finally smiled and moved his rook… "Checkmate, Harry."

They were all grateful for the shift in focus.

"Fuck." Harry couldn't believe he didn't see that coming.

Draco started setting up the board. "You Gryffindor's have no self-control. This is just too easy."

Draco then leaned back. "We should talk about the fun times at Hogwarts whenever we play. That was almost too easy." Looking over at Ron, he tapped his chin. "Step right up Weasley. Let's discuss second year when you thought Harry was the Heir of Slytherin…"

Harry groaned, Ron glared, and Draco laughed.

Harry chuckled a little, then turned to Ron. "Kick his smarmy ass."

"With Pleasure."

— **DoD—**

**August 23, 1996**

**Friday**

Harry was taking Psychometric readings on various common objects and learning how to block and open up to each. His Occlumency flexed a bit, but he was improving, he just needed to be careful and not force it. It was impressive the way Oppenheimer had instructed him… it was terribly similar to the various Alaric Grimoire instructions.

Fritz Oppenheimer interrupted his final meditation. "That's enough for today, Harry. You're getting better. But I may need to continue your training at Hogwarts."

Harry slowly regained his focus. These exercises were helping him with his Psychometry, but his other Divination related skills were benefitting as well. Taking the Divination OWL had been one of the best moves he ever made. He and Fritz had grown closer over the summer and now they were on a first name basis. It was almost like he was with Bill.

"Fritz, what's the end goal here? I mean… I really like Psychometry and my combat predictions feel more natural… but it seems like we're working toward a goal here. But no one told me what it is."

Fritz chuckled at his young trainee. "You're the one with the gift, you tell me." He could smirk as well as Harry.

This was his style of teaching. He provided the tools and the guidance, but he let you figure out where you're going. Harry thought about it… There was really one main goal here… Beat Voldemort. But before we beat him, the Horcruxes need to be destroyed. He knew Fritz was an Unspeakable and Dumbledore was teaming up with a few of them to try and find the last of the Horcruxes.

Harry gave Fritz a suspicious look. "Horcrux hunting. Right?"

Fritz adopted a questioning look, "Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Maybe I should just ask my Tarot cards…"

Fritz guffawed, then recovered, saying, "You do that, Harry."

Harry thought about it. "There are three more. One's the snake. Plus, two unknowns."

Fritz shook his head. "Nope. Your Headmaster found one last week. Damn fool didn't call us, either."

"That's great! So, just the snake and one more…" Fritz didn't look incredibly happy. "What aren't you telling me?"

Fritz seemed less 'witty' suddenly. "I'll let Albus tell you… but learn from the mistakes of others, Harry. Don't ever go it alone. Every dangerous job requires at least two people. Do you know what happens to Curse-Breakers who work alone?"

Harry knew the answer. Curse-breakers who work alone, get killed. He didn't say it out loud, but it only took a simple look for Fritz to know he understood.

Fritz gave a bit more scholarly advice, "The man who thinks he's the smartest person in the world, is always going to be disappointed at some critical point in their life." Then he wryly added, "Just ask my ex-wife."

Harry laughed awkwardly a moment. "Right." Harry had considered going off on his own to find Horcruxes… but maybe not. Fritz was warning him…

Fritz looked at his student and saw his words sinking in. Good. He would have hated it if the battle at the Ministry had given Harry a false sense of invulnerability.

Lightening the conversation, Fritz asked, "In a few minutes, your Headmaster will be here with your NEWT scores. How do you think you did?"

"Easy O's. In fact, I think I over-prepared." With a grin, Harry added, "Much better than my Divination OWL."

Fritz smiled back, "No vomiting, I take it."

Harry smirked. "Or Drowning."

Fritz could match Sarcasm with anyone. "Glad to hear it… Cheeky… Let's go see Albus."

— **DoD—**

As Harry and Fritz came upstairs, the mood seemed sombre. Harry noticed Bill staring at the Headmasters right hand. It looked dead and withered. Harry opened his perceptions and saw it was a terrible curse and it had integrated with his 'pattern'. It was fatal. But on his finger was a ring… no, a stone. An immensely powerful one at that. As Harry stared, he sensed Fritz behind him and started walking again.

Dumbledore smiled as if everything was fine. "Harry, my boy. How has your summer been?"

After an awkward moment, Harry said, "It's been busy, actually. I loved Castelobruxo and seeing South America. We really should have a more robust foreign exchange program…"

Dumbledore smiled and seemed lost in his memories. "There was a time when most students would take a year after graduating to see the world. It was a good tradition."

Harry could see the weariness in the Headmaster. "I wish Colin had been with me. He really loves photography. When this war is over, we should all go back. The waterfalls alone are worth it."

Tonks took the moment to say, "Count me in, Porcupine! I'm game for a trip as long as you're paying."

Harry looked startled for a minute, "Porcupine?"

Fred shook his head, "More of a Hedgehog"

George disagreed. "I like pincushion…"

Harry really didn't like where this was going, "What about… How did I do on my NEWTs?"

Dumbledore produced an envelope and handed it to Harry. "I think you will be most pleased."

Harry used a thorn to tear the envelope open. "Yes! Four Outstanding grades. Hmmm." Harry continued reading. "They're offering me a spot in their post graduate Runes program."

Bill knew the program. "Nice, Harry. I think your friend Julia Scott* went through the program. It focuses on Olmec and Toltec runes. A good bit of Mayan and Aztec as well."

Harry folded it up, managing to slightly tear the paper with his thorns. "Maybe something for later. For now, I have a Dark Lord to stop." Seeing everyone looking terse, he added, "And my girlfriend lives in Europe."

— **DoD—**

**August 27, 1996**

**Tuesday**

Harry and Tonks were in a small room at Gringotts, waiting for Mykew Gregorovitch. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were shopping for clothes… This was his bailout option. The wand was taking longer to make than expected and given that school starts in four days, the man was cutting it close.

The walk down Diagon Alley was a challenge. Since the Battle at the Ministry, he couldn't go anywhere without his 'Anonymous' charm. People were constantly wanting to talk to him and get reassurances. Unfortunately, the street was so crowded that being recognised wasn't the primary concern. Being covered in thorns, he couldn't just walk down the crowded street without injuring a lot of people. He eventually relied on his familiar to scare people off. The girls loved it and Harry appreciated the way most people kept their distance.

Tonks was doing shell trick for the girls… Three shells and a marble. She was hopelessly inept with anything requiring dexterity. The marble spent more time on the floor than under the shell. Still, she was fun, and her stories kept the mood light while they waited. Artemis and Hecate were enraptured, and Selene was annoyed. She wanted to go shopping with the other ladies. She had no idea Ginny was uncomfortable around her.

Soon enough Gregorovitch entered the room with a wand box. Setting the box on the table, he pulled out a chair and took a seat. Harry noted that the man seemed less than pleased. Hopefully, the wand came out alright.

"Mr. Gregorovitch… May I?" Harry asked pointing to the box.

"You may, but the thorns are still there." Settling back and watching, the elderly man said, "I would be incredibly careful with that wand… It seems to enjoy drawing blood."

Harry removed the top of the box. The wand was rather light in colour since being 'shaped'. It was mostly straight if you drew a line from the tip to the end, but it curved slightly a few times in getting there. It had a few organic bulges and it was a true Gregorovitch design. Harry loved the way it worked with the grain and kept its natural beauty.

Then there were the thorns. From top to bottom, it was covered in vicious barbs. He'd have to fashion a different kind of holster for it. Harry 'felt' it calling to him. Remarkably similar to his Holly and Phoenix feather wand… but more aggressive. It reminded him of Rose from his dreamscape. He slowly reached out and lifted it from the box. One side had a thicker curved section that was a perfect fit. As he grasped it, he felt the thorns bite into his palm. It was warm and natural feeling… It seemed similar to his own thorns. Of course, he had grown it from his merger with Rose, so it was no surprise it felt right.

Gregorovitch and Tonks were watching closely as the wand began to drink deeply of his blood. It went from being somewhat light to as dark as it had been when Harry had given it to Gregorovitch. Near Black… but the thorns had crimson tips. There were no sparks or flashes of light. Only a cooling of the air and the scent of blood and roses. It was his wand… Or was it the other way around?

Looking up, Harry met the wide eyes of the wandmaker. "Mr. Gregorovitch, this is a _masterpiece._ " The old man smiled and began nodding.

"Yes. Yes, I see it now. The wands were… searching. Searching for you, Mr. Potter. In truth, I was not sure… It seemed so… independent."

Harry summoned his Holly wands from the sheath on his left wrist. At a casual glance, they looked quite different, but upon closer inspection, the similarities were there. At least to him, they were. Yin and Yang, but neither was mild or… passive. He was ready now. Two masterwork wands. It felt so right. His magic was pulsing with each heartbeat. It was reaching out and acclimating to the wand pairing.

"Harry… You're eyes." Tonks was staring. So were the girls. Gregorovitch had his head cocked to one side and was watching intently.

Harry Potter knew these wands… like he knew his own hands. "I'm going to kill Voldemort."

Gregorovitch slapped his knee and laughed out loud. "You do that Mr. Potter! Send that son of a bitch back to hell!"

On a whim, Harry sent an electric arc between the wands… feeling their power. Letting them get to know each other… Power. Harry didn't look up to see the Goblins peeking into the room from the open door. He didn't see the way the magical lights flickered… Power! He was read to take that next step.

Harry let the arc die back and glanced at his Familiar. _"§ Let's go home, Girls. §"_

— **DoD—**

**Nott Manor**

**August 30, 1996**

**Friday Night**

Theo Nott was lying in bed crying. He didn't always cry, sometimes he raged… But today had been a day where he had been held under the Cruciatus curse a bit longer than usual. After taking the mark, he was given to Bellatrix Lestrange for training. To say she was a harsh taskmaster was like saying a hurricane was a bit breezy. Always talking about how he needed to give Potter a good challenge. How embarrassed she'd be if he were beaten too quickly. And the singing… She was utterly insane…

Last year, he was just another student at Hogwarts, but the summer had ruined any hope of ever going back to that life. First, the Dark Lord moved into the manor. His arrival turned his home into a prison full of insane killers and a giant snake. Then his father was killed in the Ministry, leaving him as the Head of the house of Nott. Being only sixteen, he couldn't access the entire estate, but his father had selected a man he'd never even met, Thorfinn Rowle, as his magical guardian. Theo knew Rowle was draining his family coffers and selling the assets…

Potter! This was all his fault. First, he beat the Malfoys, sending the Dark Lord to Nott Manor. Then Potter killed his father. Somehow, he even beat Bellatrix and left her obsessed. Anyone who ever doubted her insanity should only look at the scar on her forehead. She had carved it into herself with a cursed knife! Her obsession with Harry Potter was only something an insane woman would have.

She even sang about Potter in that scratchy cackling voice of hers. Everyone thinks she is obsessed with killing him, but Theo wasn't so sure. Damn bitch and her Cruciatus… he'd have the tremors for at least three more days. And that was with Professor Snape's potions. How had it come to this?

For fifteen years, he lived an idyllic life. One of privilege and wealth. Now he was little more than a house elf. Beaten and abused… forced to do the bidding of others. His one and only way to survive was to kill a wizard that was far beyond him in knowledge and power. Further, he had to kill the man at Hogwarts, where he held absolute control over the castle and the wards.

Albus Dumbledore.

— **Dance of Death 39—**

***Julia was in Chapter 8 as an apprentice curse-breaker.**

**And now we are in Harry's sixth year. According to the outline, there will be four more chapters. The real training begins in the next chapter, but the foundation is already in place. He has his second wand, his Familiar can read and is learning to play chess, Divination studies have begun, so yes – we are on the path toward Casting Shadows. If you want a visual for the thorn wand, it is like the commercially available wand #NN8226, but with extra tiny thorns from top to bottom. A google search will suffice.**

**Story Recommendation:**

' **Harry Potter and the Lost City'** **, by AvydReedr. It is a fresh take on a Harry that never goes to the Dursleys but is raised by a Wizarding Family that is not from canon. Very professionally written and the world building is excellent. Absolutely worth a read if you like stories where Harry isn't overpowered, and you enjoy world building. Highly recommended.**


	40. Chapter 40

**In the last chapter, Harry got his wand and was preparing to return to Hogwarts. The war is now starting, and he is preparing to fight. there will be an occasional time skip in his sixth year, but you will see definite development.**

**JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter**

**—Dance of Death ch 40–**

**Chapter 40: Nursery Rhymes**

**Hogwarts Express**

Harry, Ginny, Neville, Hermione, Ron, and Luna were all in one of the compartments. Harry had more space than the rest who were rather crammed in, but the thorns made that necessary. Kreacher came and brought an expanding table filled with food and drinks. No one would go hungry. The entire group had arrived early to get their own car.

For space reasons, Harry was beside Ginny and Luna was by the window. Across the portable table, Ron was with Neville and Hermione. Harry's familiar was sleeping in an expanded box after being well fed for the trip. Ginny was wearing her dragon hide gloves and was holding Harry's hand. Harry was visibly anxious.

Ginny gave his hand a squeeze. "He'll be alright, Harry." Harry knew she was referring to Draco.

"You don't know that. He should have joined me in a guest suite."

Hermione decided to calm her friend. "Harry, Dumbledore has already adjusted the Wards. No portkeys will actively function. Draco will be safe at Hogwarts and even the Hogwarts Express is safe."

"Why did he want to go back? He could have stepped out of Slytherin altogether…"

Ron scoffed. "Really? Like you'd abandon your friends? Look Harry, Draco is a prat of epic proportions, but he's kind of loyal to his friends."

Harry took that in. He knew Draco wanted to be there for the younger Greengrass sister. He also worried a lot about his friends in the snake pit. The problem was, how many of his friends were willing to take him back? What if… Shite. Draco would play his game. He'd protect his friends and send advice where it was needed.

"Yeah. I guess."

Neville was playing cards with Luna. But he looked up a moment. "You can't protect everyone, Harry. You need to watch your own back."

Harry had come to accept Neville as having a lot of depth. He was so different from the timid boy he was in his first year. And he was completely right. He had to focus on his own tasks.

"Just let me know if you think he's in danger. I promised his mum…" Harry had indeed promised Narcissa he would watch out for Draco. He just didn't know how realistic the promise was given their physical distance. Neville would be in most of the same classes.

Ron shook his head a bit. He knew Harry was a bit too eager to protect everyone… But Draco Malfoy? He still struggled with their weird relationship. They traded barbs and insults just like before, but it was different. Ron hated to admit it, but he had been such a prat that he'd been replaced as best mate. It stung, but it was deserved. At least they were friends again. He sadly realised it'd never be like it was before.

Ron then noticed Harry had an oversized holster on his boot. That had to be his new wand. He knew Harry had used the staff he had grown after he'd gotten all thorny and had it combined it with a Basilisk heart string.

Ron leaned forward. "Harry let's get a look at your new wand. I hear it's wicked."

Harry thought about just saying 'No'. After a brief moment of deliberation, he held out his hand and wandlessly summoned it from his boot holster. He's been practicing minor wandless magic without a matrix and it was much easier with this wand. It seemed to be drawn to him like a magnet.

Harry held it up. It had large and small thorns covering it. A few had pierced his palm, but he barely noticed. Ron reached out to tough it.

Harry pulled it back. "Don't touch, it's a bit poisonous."

Ron was suddenly embarrassed. "How do you handle it, then?"

"Thorns don't bother me…" The cabin occupants all laughed at that. "It's a pretty aggressive wand. My Holly wand is more defensive, bit very flexible. This wand is more… I don't know. Offensive?"

Ron raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. "Looks it."

Ginny stared at it. "It suits you, Harry. I mean, so does your other wand, but this one… yeah."

Hermione levitated the empty plates to the corner of the cart. Kreacher could come get them when they arrived in Hogsmeade. She didn't like that thorn covered wand at all. It reminded her of Harry's less peaceful traits. It was not a wand for peaceful resolution of differences. But maybe it was the perfect wand for the coming war.

As Hermione thought about that, the door slid open.

Katie Bell stepped into the cabin. "Looks like a reunion. Welcome back Harry! So, any chance I can borrow my backup captain? "

Harry stood up and let Ginny out. "Making plots and plans already?"

Katie grinned. "We're gonna take over the world, Harry. One Quidditch match at a time." She was obviously loving being captain. Harry remembered her helping him in his first year. She was a true friend.

Ginny looked back at Harry before she left. "I'll be back, Harry!" She gave his hand a squeeze and left. Harry could tell she was excited to be back on the team. In a position of leadership. And with her new Broom, she'd be hard to beat as a chaser.

Looking over at the rest of his cabin, Harry noted that Hermione had joined the card game and Ron was watching eagerly. No doubt he wanted to get his chess board out. Well, not today.

Harry caught Luna's attention, "Alright Luna, deal me in. I'll try not to scratch up the cards." Ron shrugged and joined in as well. Soon it was all five of them.

After about thirty minutes, Hermione and Ron were summoned away to act as Prefects. That left Harry, Neville, and Luna. Harry's Familiar decided to come out of her 'Box' and slithered over to the window, the girls had no interest in cards.

At regular intervals, an Auror would walk by. No one was taking any chances now that everyone knew Voldemort was back. Poor Horace wasn't allowed to have his little dinner party on the train… but that suited Harry fine. He enjoyed hanging out with Neville and Luna.

"Harry!" a happy voice proclaimed.

Looking up, Harry saw Colin Creevey. Wide eyed and happy.

Harry was actually glad to see the small boy. "Hey Colin. Come on in and have a seat. We have a little food left. Do you play poker?"

"Yeah! Thanks Harry!" He took a few biscuits and Luna dealt him in.

Harry suddenly realised his familiar was beside him. Artemis was looking at his cards. Selene was still looking out the window and Hecate was looking at Colin.

Colin looked extremely uncomfortable. "Harry… they don't bite, do they?"

Harry almost chuckled. "No, not my friends. Try not to look like prey, Colin."

Hecate glanced at Harry. _§"He's so cute. Like a little mouse. Too big to swallow, though." §_

_§ "Don't be a bully. When most of the school turned against me, Colin stayed loyal. Fought bravely, too." §_

Hecate didn't say anything. She just continued to stare at Colin.

It was a long ride to Hogwarts.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Harry's Quarters**

**Sept 1, 1996**

Harry had just unpacked and set up a space for the Girls. A nice heated enclosure shaped like a Mayan Pyramid. The room was nice, but the winter would be cold. He planned to set up a few runic arrays to make the room a toasty 30 degrees Celsius. He'd keep his bed at 23 degrees. It was a lot easier when they were smaller. They had grown a lot over the summer.

There was a knock on the door. Harry reached out mentally and recognised Draco's magical signature. He had gotten good at that. Was that how Dumbledore always knew who was at his door? Harry walked over and opened the door.

Draco slipped in and closed the door behind him. He had a concerned look on his face.

The blond-haired teen looked around. "Settling in well, I see."

"Yeah. How about you? Are you alright? It's not too late for me to request a Guest Suite."

Draco shook his head. They had been over this. "Everything's fine. Crabbe and Goyle are gone. But Pansy and Theo are here. Others too." Crabbe and Goyle were on the Inquisitor Squad and had been arrested. Harry didn't see any point in bringing that up.

"What about your girl? Is she here?"

"Home-schooled. She's having… health issues." Draco stiffened up and it was clear he didn't want to discuss it.

"I'm… sorry. You know we can always request the suite… just let me know."

"I will. But for now, I'm re-integrating." He clearly had more to say. "Listen… Theo's up to something. He's in pretty bad shape too. He shows symptoms of being under the Cruciatus. Always in long sleeves… Harry, I'm quite sure he's been Marked. He just has that... look."

Harry wondered, "What do you mean? What look?"

Draco got an odd look. "Like he's half mad. Barely in control. Dad had it after You-Know-Who came back. So did all his friends. After having a house full of Death Eaters in my home, I can spot it."

Harry ran his hand through his hair. "Good to know." Theo was always so quiet… But then Harry had killed his dad in the Ministry… "Anything else?"

"Yeah. Everyone's scared of you. Professor Snape put the word out to avoid you at all costs. He kind of implied you were… deranged. A Psychopath with power beyond your years."

Harry laughed and snorted. "Yeah. Like anyone would believe that."

Draco didn't laugh. "Harry, they all believe it. Four of the Inquisitors saw you in the Theatre and left. They know you were there… Honestly, this is probably a good thing. You and your friends are off limits and they all think you'll kill them if they try anything."

After a quiet minute, Harry said, "Good. They may not be wrong…"

Draco silently nodded. He already knew Harry was dangerous…

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Office**

**September 4, 1996**

**Wednesday**

Harry's first two days at Hogwarts were rather uneventful. He ate in the Great Hall but had to sit to the side during the sorting as he was no longer attached to a house. Due to his apprenticeship, he was in an unusual situation where he was not a traditional student. He still went to Potions classes and Professor Babbage gave him Ancient Runes assignments, but that was it. He already had his Ancient Runes NEWT, and Professor Slughorn shared a few advanced points with him, but mostly just praised him.

Today was the day he would actually start the advanced training that required him to return to Hogwarts. He was led up the winding stairs into the Headmaster's office and taken into an alcove with a table and three chairs. After a moment, he sat down and waited. He didn't have to wait long.

Albus Dumbledore and Fritz Oppenheimer soon approached the alcove. Harry stood and shook both of their hands. It was clear the pair had been engaged in an intense discussion. Fritz gave Harry a half smile and a nod. Harry understood the man very well and he knew that Fritz was both irritated with Dumbledore and happy to see him. Dumbledore also gave a nod and they each took a seat.

"Hello, Harry. Fritz and I have been discussing your training plan and I dare say, I feel certain you will be pleased. Today we'll give you an overview, then you will work with Fritz on your Occlumency and Divinatory exercises. Now, do you have any questions for us before we get started?"

Harry shook his head. He was ready to get started.

Dumbledore began the overview. "We are going to begin reviewing memories I've collected regarding Tom Riddle. You are to study and learn all you can from these memories. Afterward, you'll work with Fritz. We'll meet three times a week and by the Yule break, you should be nearly finished reviewing the memories."

Harry tapped the table three times… he was confused. "Professor, shouldn't I be learning Battle magic? You know, from you?"

Dumbledore looked amused. "No, Harry. At least, not yet. Before you can be trained to engage your enemy, you need to become more knowledgeable of him. Who he is and what his motivations are? Only then can you defeat him."

Harry couldn't hide his disappointment. "So, I'm not going to learn how to fight?" Well, to fight _better_?"

Dumbledore adopted his grandfatherly smile. "I don't believe I said that Harry. You will be getting advanced and intensive training with Filius. Once he says you're ready, we'll begin Battle Magic training. In the meantime, you can use this section of my quarters to work with Mr. Oppenheimer and review your training with Professor Flitwick."

Harry always got irritated whenever Dumbledore pulled the Grandfather trick. "Professor, are you saying I'm not already good enough for you to train?" Harry knew he was one of the best fighters in Britain.

Dumbledore took his glasses off and set them on the table. He took a deep breath and seemed disappointed. Harry was certain this was an act and it irritated him slightly. Always with the Dramatics.

"Harry, you are a gifted and powerful Wizard. But you lack your own style. Before I teach you Battle Magic, you need to find and develop your own way of fighting. Filius can help you there far better than I could. To be frank, you mostly fight like your mother, but I also see flashes of your father. Your parents developed their style to match their strengths. You have simply adopted their styles and overcome any… misalignment… with raw power."

Harry started to give a retort, but stopped and thought about it… It sounded pretty accurate.

Fritz elaborated. "You have a 'combat sense, that is as much magical sensitivity as it is divinatory in nature, but your style of combat doesn't take full advantage of it. You also have an incredibly unique ability to cast with either hand. Do you know how rare that is? Then there's your unusual ability to use wandless magic… Yes, you have far more potential, but you need to develop your own style of combat to take advantage of it."

Harry sat back and huffed. "Wow. I just assumed you were going to tell me this was all about the Horcrux hunt."

Fritz smirked at him. "Well, there is that Harry. That and helping you determine 'His' next moves. By understanding him, you should be able to begin divining what he's up to. Hence the memories followed by time with me."

Harry was catching on. "You want me to spy on Voldemort? Is that… Won't that be dangerous? To connect with him?"

Harry could tell from Fritz's reaction that this was why he was irritated. "Yes. It will be dangerous, and I'll be testing your occlumency before you should even attempt it. Starting today."

Dumbledore seemed unhappy. "I'm sorry to have to ask this, Harry. You should know that Fritz and I did not agree on this. He felt it overly zealous."

Harry asked, "So why are we doing it, then?"

Dumbledore held out his hands and Fritz gritted his teeth while looking away.

Dumbledore lowered his hands and continued. "Unless we can find his last Horcrux, he will remain un-killable. To strike him down now would be temporary. I have no doubt he has already prepared for a second or even a third resurrection ritual." Picking up his glasses, Albus placed them on his face and looked directly at Harry. "Destroying his body won't give us a thirteen-year respite again."

Dumbledore made a casual gesture with is wand. Harry had learned to appreciate the crisp and fluid movements the Headmaster always made. Years of practice and familiarity went into all Dumbledore's movements. His pensieve slowly floated over and rested on the table in front of them. Harry knew what a pensieve was and he had to admit, this was a nice one.

Harry wondered why it was here… "Professor, you mentioned that we'd only be having an overview today."

Fritz smirked and Dumbledore smiled softly. "Ah, Harry. I'm afraid you misunderstand. This is for _**your**_ memories. We are going to select a few choice events to share with Professor Flitwick. He is very eager to start and this will expedite the training. Once we have them, I'll leave you in Mr. Oppenheimer's most capable hands."

Fritz tapped on the table. "You're all mine kiddo! Intense Occlumency evaluation. I can't have my star pupil getting his brains scrambled." He gave Harry a small collaborative wink. "Then we'll grab dinner."

Harry grinned nervously. He finally realised why he liked Fritz so much… He reminded him of Sirius. He was less reckless and far more in control, but the same sarcastic wit…

Dumbledore then cleared his throat and directed Harry. "Let's start with the battle you fought in the Ministry. Take your wand like so and call forth the images… slowly extract them and place them gently in the bowl…"

— **DoD—**

Four hours later, Harry returned to his room and collapsed on his bed. He had extracted memories from the battle of the Ministry, his boxing training, and the dirty tricks Lou had drilled into him… He also included a number of his ambushes in the fourth year. He enjoyed watching Dumbledore's look of embarrassment and shame as he was forced to view a student in his care getting ambushed and injured repeatedly. Harry couldn't help it; he was still bitter. Fritz on the other hand was flat out pissed. He had to take thirty minutes to calm himself before they could test Harry's Occlumency.

Harry knew Fritz was one of the Senior Unspeakables, but until they really began working on his Occlumency, he never realised just how skilled the man was. Harry's Occlumency was sufficient to keep him out, but he explained other ways to divert and parry a more powerful attack so as not to be incapacitated while resisting. It was excellent training.

When they had finished, Fritz actually ordered dinner in Albus' office and they discussed lighter topics. Eventually, they found themselves discussing the morals of curse breaking and how long dead civilizations had foreseen their own demise. Fritz was of the opinion that some tombs were fair game and others were part of the Heritage of the people that live in the region and should be left alone. Egyptian tombs fell into that grouping. Harry made a point to discuss that further with Bill. It was a different way of looking at the profession. Curse-breaker versus Tomb-robber.

— **DoD—**

Laying on the bed and reflecting on the training and interaction with Fritz, Harry looked up at three pairs of green eyes. _§ "Have you girls eaten?" §_

Hecate answered, _§ "Yes, Harry. Dobby came by with a rabbit." §_

Selene asked, _§ "Can we meet up with Lavender and Parvati?" §_ It was interesting watching Lavender and Parvati communicate with Selene. As long as it was clothing or fashion, they all seemed to work it out. He only had to interpret Selene a few times.

Hecate added, _§ "I'd like to speak with Padma." §_ Harry knew that meant he'd be the go-between.

Looking at Artemis, he asked, _§ "What about you Artemis? What can I do for you?" §_

Artemis answered, _§ "Will you play a game of chess with me?" §_

Harry could only laugh _. § "I'll see what I can do about the meetups, Artemis, let's set the board up. You know, Ron's much better at this than I am. Draco too…" §_

Selene tilted her head empathetically. _§ "We love_ _ **you**_ _Harry, not them." §_

And he loved them too.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Monday, September 13, 1996**

Harry sat painfully in a seat in Albus' Office. The Pensieve was between the two of them and Filius extracted a memory. This was their standard procedure. Two intense hours of training followed by a review from Filius' memory. The gentle professor was a relentless dueller and he was training Harry almost from scratch.

They entered the Pensieve and Harry stood beside his image. He noted the awkwardness in using both wands. The unusual exchange of wands when pressing an attack. The poor balance while switching…

Filius smiled. "I think you are seeing the problem, Harry. You have two wands, but you're fighting like you only have one. Then when you switch, it's just awkward. You're off balance and delayed. Fighting with two wands is not the same as being a dual-wanded fighter."

Harry watched his image move and cast over and over. He was more effective with just one wand than he was with two. Whenever he switched wands, he lost a half of a beat of time. He was also off-balance.

"The work you did in the muggle gym has helped you move better, but we'll need to train you to shift your weight effortlessly. Your wands need to work together, not take turns working. They should complement each other… You also over commit. You've always tended to do that, but it's worse now that you have two wands. Here, watch this…" Filius began rewinding the action and replaying specific points.

Harry watched as he went to dodge but shifted right into the path of an attack. He just had managed to raise a shield. Unfortunately, he was so far off balance that he wasn't able to retaliate. Filius played the scene over and over while they both watched.

"You see, Harry… you could have just shifted a bit to avoid the attack, but you take a full step. You seem to do this quite frequently. You don't have to actually take a full step to the side… In this particular Volley, you actually moved the wrong way. Why did you do that? Usually you know exactly where the attack is aimed even before I've finished casting."

Harry was perplexed. He definitely remembered this specific event.

"I thought it was… I thought you were attacking my left, but you attacked the right side. I'm almost never wrong…"

Filius had a knowing smile. "Precisely, Harry! In your earlier years, you could sense magic and prepared for an attack. But you never actually reacted before the attack was made. In your fourth year, you began to evolve… Apparently, your divination was emerging and tying into your defence. But divination is not an absolute. I almost _**did**_ go left, but I changed my mind at the last moment. Had you managed to keep your balance and moved more efficiently, you would have had no difficulty correcting yourself and countering." Filius rewound once more and replayed the attack.

Harry watched his movements again. Yes, Filius was right… had he simply shifted a bit, he could have easily parried the attack and countered. Divination is not one hundred percent reliable… Hadn't Fritz said much the same?

Harry nodded. "I see that now… It's like in boxing. You don't go for broke unless you know you'll connect. Otherwise, you'll overextend and probably take a hit."

Filius clapped and shook his fists happily. "Yes. Harry! That's _**exactly**_ right! You're getting it!" Harry had always loved working with Filius. The man was like a cheering charm come to life.

Harry beamed at the diminutive teacher. It was odd standing beside his instructor while reviewing their duel in a Pensieve. Odd, but incredibly effective.

"Now, I want you to adopt more of a two thirds stance." Filius demonstrated a more open stance than he normally used. "Yes, it will present a slightly larger target, bit it'll give you more freedom to pivot and use both wands. We need to alternate offensive and defensive casting with each wand. We'll even switch hands from time to time. I knew in the first thirty seconds that you attack with the thorn wand and defend with the holly wand. That kind of predictability will only work against you… And you should feel free to cast more than once with a wand before switching… each wand should be using their own spell chains."

Harry considered this. He had always practiced casting with each hand, but always with just one wand. He'd never practiced casting with two wands at the same time… If he did it right, he'd pick up an extra attack between castings… He'd be fast.

"Professor, how do I split my focus…?"

"First, we'll minimise your movements, that'll calm down the hands. Then we'll practice simple curses with each wand… then we'll practice them at the same time. Until its second nature. Consider how musicians use their hands. A guitarist strums or picks at the strings with one hand while the other works the frets. A drummer uses two sticks in ways that complement the rhythm and the beat. The hands work together."

That made a lot of sense. "How long do you think it'll take?" Harry was nervous about having to step backward in his skill set to move forward beyond his current levels.

Filius shrugged, "With your work ethic, perhaps six or seven months for full proficiency. Maybe sooner. But you need to put in two hours a day at the very minimum."

As they withdrew from the Pensieve, Filius wrote down a few extremely basic spell chains. Basic, but effective.

"These will get you started. Once you think you've mastered it, we'll adjust. But remember, balance matters. I want you performing these spell chains on the balancing board. Economies of motion will be your steppingstone to mastery, Harry." He held up three fingers. "Balance, control, and collaborative wands."

Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."

Harry knew he'd practice in his mindscape with his parent's incarnations… He'd be proficient in three months. Considering Dumbledore's words to him, he knew the Headmaster was expecting him to be ready for battle magic training by the Yule break. He had to be, there wasn't time to waste…

That night, Harry lay in bed and replayed the battle in the ministry. If he been able to keep up with Bellatrix… She was dangerous and insanely fast. But with two wands, working together, he might actually be faster. Add in his illusions and Transfiguration skills… he could beat her hands down. Harry went over his battle with Bellatrix over and over in his mind. She was the best Voldemort had to offer. He'd beat her again… And he'd do it in style. As he drifted off to sleep, he was imagining her crazed eyes… that insane cackle… He hated to admit it, but she terrified him…

— **DoD—**

**That Same Night**

Bellatrix Lestrange looked at the silly door in front of her. Her husband and brother in law were setting the perimeter wards into a loop so no one would know the wards had fallen… They had told her to wait, but she was ever so bored. Now, the only thing standing between her and play time was a wooden door.

Looking up at the sky she saw stars twinkling away. They were saying 'Hello Bella!' She pointed her wand to the sky… _**"Morsmordre!"**_ Instantly the Dark Mark appeared overhead. With the mark came anti apparition and portkey wards. The Floo would shut off as well.

"A captive audience for the Bella show." She held her hands above her head like a ballerina and began to twirl. She quickly got tired of spinning and began to laugh mirthfully.

"Knocky-knocky!" She destroyed the door with a casual wave. This was just too easy. She danced into the home.

"Are there any Abbotts here? Helllloooo? Who wants to come out and play with meeeee?"

The Inhabitants came running out all wearing their pyjamas! Bella was shocked… Why weren't they in formal attire?

In a rage, she shouted, " **HOW DARE YOU?!** I give you the greatest show of your life and this is the way you dress?"

She deflected three curses and side stepped a fourth. There was all manner of yelling and screaming… She decided to forgive them. They were applauding her in their own special way… Bella began singing.

" _One potato,_

_Two potato,_

_Three potato_

_Four..."_

She mercilessly killed a middle-aged man with a cutting curse. It almost sliced his torso clean in half. All the way to the spine… Sidestepping another curse, she bowed whilst raising a Protego shield. The women were wailing now… so lyrical… They were redeeming themselves for their shoddy appearance. Their poor fashion sense.

" _Five potato,_

_Six potato"_

One of the women was struck with a Blood Boiling curse and fell to the ground screaming… Her eyeballs began to swell… they would burst soon.

The other woman managed to raise a shield before her attack struck and threw a counter curse at her. She was a lively one! It was always so wonderful when the audience interacted with her. It meant they appreciated the show… The other man actually managed to strike Bella's shield with a Bombarda, destroying it. Bella chuckled with delight. Yes! It felt so good to be appreciated! She side stepped another curse from the man and parried an attack from the last woman standing. With a flick of her wand, Bella struck the woman down with a Flaying curse. The screams from the woman being flayed would serve as applause long enough for Bella to play with the man…

" _Seven potato…_

_More…"_

The man looked at the woman screaming while her flesh was peeled away. While he stared in horror at what must be his wife or sister, Bella parted him from his head. It was all so easy… They were moving in slow motion. The one woman being flayed was still screaming her applause, but it was weakening. She wouldn't last… Bella was disappointed… she had hoped for more fun. She looked around at the room she was in. There were chairs and an overturned sofa. The room was in complete disarray. Broken furniture… Family pictures and tables with knick-knacks… A good bit of blood spattered about. She didn't remember it being this messy when she first got here… They really should get an elf.

Bella looked around at the fallen Abbots. These were the Half-blood Abbotts. They had to be pruned for the good of the tree. The Pureblood Abbotts were on the Wizengamot and had made her Snake master angry. They would get a second chance since they were pure… but a message had to be sent. A message with a _performance!_ Bella cleared her throat and sang her song again. She wanted to perform it correctly and uninterrupted while she was still happy.

" _One potato, Two potato,_

_Three potato, Four._

_Five potato, Six potato,_

_Seven potato…_

_Moooooorrrrrreeeee!"_

Bella belted out the last word with unbridled enthusiasm… Arms out wide and her voice reaching a high pitch… she stretched it out with all her prodigious musical ability. When she ended the song, she realised the screaming and whimpering had all stopped. She picked up the decapitated head and cradled it in front of her.

"I'm sorry the show didn't last longer. You really were a wonderful audience… despite your attire. But I feel the need to ask… are we really done? I wonder…"

She held out her wand, _**"**_ **Homenum Revelio** _ **!"**_

Instantly, she knew there was another in the house. Maybe it was a child… Someone who might play with her? She moved through the house in massive bursts of speed. In three seconds, she was standing in front of a closed and locked door. A wave of her wand gently unlocked it.

"Ready or not, here I come…" Bella loved playing 'Hide and Go Seek'.

" _Phee…_

_Phi…_

_Phoe…_

_Phum…_

_Seven Potato…_

_Mooorrrre._

_I smell the fear_

_of a Mud-Blood_

_Whoooore…"_

Hopefully, it was a woman or a girl… Otherwise the rhyme wouldn't make sense…. Bella loved her skills at rhyming. Despite how impressed she was with her latest song; she resisted the urge to take a bow… Her performance wasn't over yet. She had one last fan to please. Somewhere in this room… A modest bed room. She used to play 'Hidey-Seekey' with her sisters… Bella began giggling. This was so much fun. Let's see, where did Cissy always hide? She peeked under the bed…

"Ah-Ha!"

No. Just books and dust bunnies. Bella actually sneezed… and laughed even harder.

"Won't you come out and play? I promise to hurt you… We'll have so much fun. You can watch me laugh and sing… Please?"

Well this wouldn't do! She said ' _please_ ' and everything! But… no one was under the bed… The room was empty… Maybe the occupant was super tiny? Bella checked the bottoms of her shoes… No. Whoever was here was a master of disguise… Invisible for all to see… Or _**not**_ to see… A true genius at Hide and Go Seek.

Bella called out, "Give us a hint? Hmmmm?"

Bella was getting frustrated. She looked under the bed again. No. No one was there. Then she looked at the dresser. Could her new friend be hiding inside the drawers? She already knew her friend was tiny… So small… Bella checked the bottom of her shoes again before walking over to the dresser. She looked at the pretty mirror hanging on the wall. Over the dresser. She smiled at herself… looking at the beautiful lightning bold she had carved into her forehead… Now she matched her dark prince…

Making eye contact with herself, she gasped. She now had the most beautiful Emerald Green eyes…

"Yes-yes-yes-yes!" With joy she realised they were _**his**_ eyes!

"Did Sweetie miss me?" She asked with a mock pout. "Is him asleep? Is him dreaming about his Belllllllla? Did my sleepy Prince come to a play?"

She leaned forward and kissed the mirror. The kiss was long and strong. As she pulled away, she felt her dark prince peel away from her like a layer of skin… Deliciously painful… He'd been with her all along… Joined as one… But she liked this better. She wanted to see his face.

Bella laughed happily and gazed in wonderment at image of Harry Potter. He came to play with her! Her lips had left a red imprint on the mirror right where Harry's mouth was… She wasn't wearing lipstick… Yet her lips had left red blotches on the reflective surface. Was it blood? She did tend to chew her lips when she played Hidey-Seekey…

She had a beautiful realisation… Did this count as their first kiss? He was so young… This had to be _**his**_ first kiss! It had to be… He had saved it just for her! What else was he saving for her? With a smile, she knew the answer she hoped for.

Bella's romantic dreams were interrupted by the soft sound of someone crying. It was muffled and barely audible, but she had heard it. _**The wardrobe!**_ Just like the way Andi used to hide! How could she forget Andi?Bella looked back at Harry and blew him another kiss. Now it was time to put on another show. A private show, just for him…

With a wave of her wand, the front of the wardrobe disintegrated, exposing a terrified woman crouched on the floor.

"Please don't hurt me! Please… please…." She was sobbing and gasping uncontrollably. Her terror seemed to be feeding Bellatrix.

Harry's consciousness had been pulled out of Bellatrix as her lips separated from the mirror. It felt like having duct tape pulled off of a hairy leg. Only he was the duct tape. No less painful though… Hopefully her insanity wouldn't stick.

He had been forced to watch the mad woman murder an innocent family, one by one. He'd seen it all through her crazy eyes. But he was now inside the mirror, looking out. He silently thanked the powers that be for the separation, but he was now helpless to do anything. Reaching out, he could touch the inner surface of the mirror, but couldn't reach the other side. It was like having one-inch thick glass between him and the rest of the world. He stared in horror at the woman in front of him. Cackling away and utterly crazy. She had carved some sort of design over her right eye… Was it supposed to be a lightning bolt?

Harry had actually felt the fear and pain when he was riding alongside Bellatrix. And when Bella was torturing and killing the Abbotts, he could actually taste it. It was intoxicating and nauseating all at the same time. He was relieved to be separated from her… but horrified for the poor woman in the wardrobe.

Harry looked about to see if there was any escape… but no. It was just a simple bedroom. One door and Bella were blocking her. Harry then saw the bedside table. It was a family photo… A man, the woman in the wardrobe, and…. Hannah Abbott. Oh lord, this was Hannah's family! Harry didn't like Hannah, but… he didn't want this.

Bella laughed. "Come out and play, Mud-Blood… are you a Mud-Blood? Or are you… a _**Muggle?!**_ " She actually sneered the last bit out and with a gesture from her wand, the woman was ripped from the wardrobe and tossed her to the bed. A quick flick of her wand and Bella petrified the woman.

"No wand… You're either a Squib or a Muggle… I don't know which is worse." Bella stared for a moment, then turned back to the mirror. "I'm sorry, sweetie… You deserve so much better. Muggly-Squib… Squishy-squish."

Harry was shaking his head and shouting, "No, Let her go!" But Bellatrix just looked sadly at him.

Rabastan then walked into the room. "Got impatient, eh Bella? Well… You saved me a _pretty_ one. I do like blondes. She's a bit older than I prefer, but… it's been a long week." He walked over to the bed and, with his wand, he began sadistically tormenting the paralysed woman. Her eyes were wide in fright and pain.

Harry became more animated in his fear for Hannah's mum… he was shouting and banging on the glass. Cursing Rabastan over and over. He soon had tears in his eyes… He didn't want to watch, but he didn't want to abandon her either…

Bella looked away from Rabastan and to Harry. When she looked at Harry, she seemed to understand how upset he was. She didn't seem to be able to hear him, but Harry knew she could tell he was screaming.

She looked back at her brother in law. " _Stop that!_ "

But Rabastan didn't listen. He was enjoying himself… Revelling in the terror his victim was feeling. Feeding off of it…

Bella looked back at Harry… He saw her focusing on the tears forming in his eyes. She sudden looked enraged…

She angrily turned and pointed her wand at the bed. _**"Expulso!"**_

Harry watched as both Rabastan and Hannah's mum were literally blown to bits. Blood and gore splattered all over the room. The mirror had chunks of flesh and blood all over it. Bella smiled sweetly at him. He could hear every word she said… but she didn't seem able to able to hear _him_.

She whispered, "That's better." With a wink and collaborative smile, she said, "I never really liked Rabby." She smiled and tilted her head to the side. She appeared to be looking at the splatters on the mirror.

Bella raised her hand and began rubbing the gore coating the mirror into little heart shaped smears. The biggest one she positioned right around Harry's face. It required her to pick up a few chunks to get it right… Harry stared at her in shock and disbelief. The whole time, she was humming. Then she began talking whilst making the last few hearts.

"I didn't want you to see Rabby do _**that**_ , my sweet Prince. Your innocence shouldn't be soured by… _Those_ kinds of images… Muggles and Squibs and Mud-Bloods… Filthy and disgusting."

She then finished drawing the last gore stained heart and smiled. "Thank you for coming to see me, Harry. But you need your rest now. Keep dreaming about me… I get so _very_ lonely… sometimes. No one understands me." The last bit was but a whisper. Then she began softly singing. Unlike her earlier demented rhymes, this was actually crystal clear…

" _Go to sleep my Ick-le Harry,_

_Go to sleep my Ick-le Harry,_

_When you wake,_

_We'll patty, patty cake,_

_We'll riiiide your shiny little Po-oh-ny"_

_—_

Harry woke up screaming. He screamed loud and long.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Dumbledore's Quarters**

**September 14, 1996**

**2AM Early Morning**

The next hour was a blur of activity. Harry sent a Patronus to Dumbledore after he woke up. The Headmaster summoned the Order of the Phoenix and a message was sent. Fritz was called in and Harry's Familiar tried to calm him… Eventually, it was just Harry and Fritz sitting and drinking tea in Dumbledore's office. Harry had related the vision half a dozen times, and eventually found it easier to just place the memory in a Pensieve. Dumbledore and the Order were now out and about, leaving Fritz to help Harry pull himself together.

Fritz handed Harry an herbal tea. "Harry… I can't tell you how relieved I am that you got through that intact. Never, ever, ever, enter the mind of a crazy person. I suspect that you made an impression on each other while you were… you know, destroying my department."

Harry couldn't help but crack a grin. "I was going over the battle in my mind. Considering how best to duel her in the future. But, Fritz, I promise you I didn't do any of the exercises… It was just a bit of Occlumency to file away the day. I just… fell asleep before I was done."

Fritz rubbed his chin. "From now on, practice your Occlumency sitting up… that should prevent the accidental sleep issue."

"But how did I end up in her head? How did she put me in a mirror…? It was like she could see and interact with me. I was helpless… Was this even a Vision, or something else?"

"Well, I didn't see a silver cord in your memory, so it probably wasn't astral projection… I think she just got into your mind somehow." Seeing the despondent look on Harry's face, Fritz knew he had to calm the teen. "Harry, she's insane. Insane people tend to be… sensitive to psychic and unnatural phenomenon. Normal rules just don't apply to them."

Harry sipped his tea. From his face, it was clear he didn't really like it. Herbal tea was always a bit of a let-down. "Have you ever heard of anything like this happening before?"

Fritz shook his head. "Not really. She could actually see you… And she seemed to know you were asleep and having a dream vision. But Insanity is the ultimate wild card… And Divination is the least predictable of the higher Arcane Specialties." Ritz adopted a sarcastic smirk, "Ironic, isn't it? Divination… unpredictable…"

Harry actually managed a weak chuckle. Fritz was pretty cool.

Fritz was glad the teen could laugh after that harrowing ordeal. "So, what we need to work on now is your ability to _**exit**_ a vision. At no point in your memory did I see you trying to wake up or withdrawal from the vision… That's hardly your fault as we've been so focused on getting you to open up. For what it's worth, I think you put yourself in the mirror. Subconsciously, perhaps? To get away from her. The mirror was acting as a buffer, but you could still take in everything happening." Fritz now realised that Harry was operating way more effectively than Fritz had expected. How had he advanced so far?

Harry thought about it. "Should I _try_ to synch up with her? To gather intelligence. She actually said she hoped I'd come back soon."

"Hell, no!" Fritz resisted the urge to raise his voice. "Riding around in the mind of someone so insane… Absolutely not. And don't let anyone try to convince you otherwise! Well, not unless you want to start singing demented Nursery Rhymes. Hearing yourself cackle about like a lunatic. Getting by with one shower a year… don't get me started on her teeth. Aside from being filthy, they look like they might have been filed… But hey, if that appeals to you, then by all means… knock yourself out."

Harry actually laughed a bit more. "Yeah, she really has put me off on Nursery Rhymes. I have no idea how I'll ever get my own kids to sleep."

Fritz hid just how concerned he really was, but he wanted to make sure Harry didn't go back to Bella. "Promise me you won't try to connect with her…" He absolutely did NOT want Harry trying to reach out to Bellatrix Lestrange. That could be catastrophic.

"That's a promise I can make with ease!" Harry actually shuddered a bit.

"Understand Harry, you have exceptionally good Occlumency, but insanity doesn't follow the normal rules. Just don't go there. Where Bellatrix is concerned, you just can't be too careful. I honestly don't think you could go for another ride or two without acquiring a few _peculiarities_. We're lucky she put you in the mirror."

Harry thought about it a moment. "Why is she so fascinated with Nursery Rhymes?"

Fritz sat back. "Well, there are two theories on that. She was once a beautiful and poised woman. Graceful and well spoken… Considered one of the most beautiful witches in Britain. Riddle did a number on her. It's been hypothesised that she snapped when Riddle twisted and mangled her pattern. She wants to return to a childlike state. Consider that in your vision, she was imagining playing with her sisters. The singing… The dancing… It definitely had a childlike quality to it." He arched his brows and added, "A very demented and disturbed child, I'll add."

Harry snickered. "So, what's the other theory?"

Fritz shrugged. "She's a Nutter." Fritz punctuated that with a shrug.

They both chuckled at that. Fritz had learned to calm Harry by watching him with Bill Weasley. Harry relaxes when he's with people that don't expect him to be the support beam. When people let him just be himself. He desperately needed to take it easy and avoid thinking about the evening he had seen. Hannah Abbott had already been summoned away. No one needed to know he was involved.

Fritz finished the last of his tea. "Alright. No memory reviews for a week. Stick to whatever relaxes you. Potions, Runes, and… Does duelling relax you?"

Harry nodded.

"Good. Basically, follow your normal routine except your work with Albus. Occlumency each night – sitting up. No Divination and no memory reviews for three weeks. Spend time with your friends… especially that pretty red head."

Harry gave a short nod. "Yes sir." Time with Ginny he could handle.

"Now, I've ordered Dreamless sleep. Take it and don't get up before noon."

"Right. Well, I need to get back to the girls… they're probably worried sick." Harry stood up and quickly drank the two vials. "Goodnight, Fritz."

"Goodnight, Harry."

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Quidditch Pitch**

**September 14, 1996**

**3PM**

Harry slept in until after almost three in the afternoon. Rising up, he found his girls had been fed and were eager to get out. He also saw Dobby had prepared a picnic basket for him. Well, maybe it was Pipsey. Given that it was sandwiches and crisps, it definitely wasn't Kreacher. Beside the basket was a note from Filius… training was cancelled for the day. A quick tempus charm told him it was three o'clock. Try-outs were in thirty minutes. He promised Ginny he'd be there.

Harry had the girls climb into his backpack and applied an 'Anonymous' charm before grabbing the basket and setting off. He avoided the main halls and managed to sneak out without interruption. Today would be exactly what Fritz had told him to make it… Normal.

Once he got to the pitch, he dropped his illusion and was instantly recognised. A few Slytherin Students had been in the stands watching the try outs and they instantly departed. Harry found it odd that they were all so skittish around him, but he didn't mind. It was actually nice not to have anyone mocking or threatening him. Harry saw Katie and Ginny organising the try outs and Hermione up in the stands.

Harry waved to Ginny and climbed the bleachers to sit beside Hermione. His Familiar was currently arguing amongst herself over whether or not Quidditch was worth their time. Hermione looked up from her book as he approached. No doubt all the hissing and spitting above his backpack was partly to blame.

"Hey, Hermione. Care for a picnic lunch? Dinner… or is it 'Linner'?" He took a seat and set the basket down between them. He extracted a ham sandwich and a thermos of pumpkin juice.

Hermione chuckled. "At half past three, you can call it anything but breakfast." She seemed pulled out a container of fruit and a fork.

Hermione looked over and asked, "Did something happen last night?"

Harry stopped eating for a moment and considered his answer. He wasn't supposed to discuss his vision and he didn't want to be interrogated. But this was Hermione…

Harry gave a small nod. "Yeah. I had a vision of a Death Eater attack. I expect it to be in the news tomorrow. Before you ask, I don't want to talk about it… it was awful."

Hermione stared at him for a second or two, then accepted his need for silence. Harry could tell it was killing her not to start asking question after question… It was only a matter of time. She was chewing her lip and her eyes were darting about.

Dreading the inevitable, Harry said, "I know everyone wants to know what's going on, but the vision put me right in the middle of murder and torture. It was bad enough for me to be given Dreamless Sleep."

Hermione was Hermione. "Can you tell me if…"He hands were alternating between open and closed fists.

"Hannah Abbott's mum. Maybe her whole family." Seeing her look of shock, he added, "Please don't tell anyone."

Hermione looked over at Ron on the pitch. "Can I tell…?"

"No. I'm not supposed to do any more divination exercises for two weeks… I don't need everyone coming and asking me to somehow check up on their family… or getting angry that I didn't save more lives. I don't need another year like our fourth."

Hermione certainly understood that. "It'll be… our secret." Looking closely, she could see how upset he was. Now she felt guilty.

Hermione decided to change the subject. "So, I'm reading the 'Advanced Potions' book… How did you get so good at Potions, Harry? No offence, but you really never seemed that interested."

"I was always good at Potions. I just can't stand Snape. I could have passed my NEWTs with an easy 'E', but I like the way Professor Slughorn teaches. He even gave me an old potions book when he began tutoring me. It's got great notes in the margins…"

Hermione gasped, "Harry, that's cheating!"

Harry laughed, "No it's not! It's no different than when **you** let Ron look at your notes." He adopted his most annoying smirk. "Unless… you think _**that's**_ cheating?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You win… alright. But do you at least know who wrote the notes?"

"Some guy who calls himself the Half-Blood Prince. Sounds a bit full of himself, but his ideas are great. He even has a few nasty spells in there." He took a sip of pumpkin juice, then added, "I practiced a few in the Room of Requirement, and they're really effective. Thanks for telling me about the room, by the way. Filius and I are using it a lot."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Filius? Don't you mean Professor Flitwick?"

Harry nodded. "Around other students, I call him Professor Flitwick… But yeah. We're pretty close. He helped me out a lot after the Goblet of Fire spat out my name. He's the one who taught me to volley spells. He doesn't like to be formal when we're having one on one training."

Hermione seemed pleased for some reason…

"So, Harry… You must be learning a lot."

"I am, but I'm expected to be able to fight effectively with two wands by the holidays. Honestly, it's likely to be a photo-finish."

Hermione looked confused. "Harry, you've always been able to cast with either hand. Why is this so difficult?"

Harry's Familiar was getting more boisterous. He took a moment to shush her.

Turning back to Hermione, "Casting with each hand is not the same as using both wands collaboratively at the same time… I'm having to re-learn a few techniques. It's hard."

They heard a whistle blow, and the chasers began running through the paces. Harry was genuinely amazed at Ginny. She was as good a flyer as he was. Maybe better. The 'Boomslang' model Sirius gave her was really something. The manoeuvrability and control were amazing… Of the group trying out for the open Chaser position, Dean was fairly good. So was Demelza.

Hermione thought for a minute… "You should ask Professor Slughorn whose book it was. The real name, not the made up one."

Harry considered it for a minute. "Nah, he's probably dead. That book is ancient." Pausing, he clarified, "Well, maybe not ancient. But it's probably twenty years old and pretty beat up. No way would the last owner have thrown it away if he were still alive. It's too good."

Soon the seekers were trying out. It was only Demelza and Dennis. They started going through drills. Neither stood out, but they weren't bad. The beaters eventually came out, too. Dunbar was good… Hermione and Harry watched them all go through the try-outs.

As the seekers wrapped up, Hermione asked, "Which seeker would you choose?"

Harry considered the question for a minute, "Well, Dennis was a bit faster at spotting the snitch, but Demelza's the better flier. You could teach flying… but not spotting. It's a close decision… but I'd probably go with Dennis. Also, Demelza is a double threat… she tried out for chaser too."

"Do you wish you were playing?"

Harry had to really think about it… "Yeah. But I never really loved Quidditch. Not like Ginny and Ron do. For me, it was all about the flying. And now I just don't have the time. I mean, between the hours and the games… No. I have to prepare for Voldemort"

"We all have to, Harry." She looked like she wanted to say more.

Harry knew where she was going. "How's Professor Snape at teaching Defence?"

"Surprisingly good. Don't get me wrong, he's still demeaning, condescending, and insulting. But in _**that**_ class, it doesn't seem so bad." Hermione said something only a Muggle raise student would understand. "It's like having a really tough football coach. You don't mind it so much on the field, but you wouldn't want it while you were… doing something that requires a methodical approach. Like Potions."

Harry gave her a short and relatively disinterested nod.

"Harry, we need you to start up the Defence club again. We're not ready… and you know what we're up against…"

"... I thought you said Snape was pretty good."

Hermione thought for a moment. "I think he's giving the Slytherin students extra training. They always seem… better than the rest of us."

Harry realised she was probably right… Greasy bastard. "I'm kind of pressed for time, Hermione…" He mentally tried to think of someone else but couldn't. There wasn't anyone now that Cedric was gone.

Hermione noticed his resolve begin to waver. "Let's start up after the break and we can use this time getting ready on our own."

"Fine. But you and Ron and Neville help. I'm not doing it alone. That means you do a lot of the work…" Harry saw she was smiling and for some reason that irritated him. "I'm serious Hermione. I'm working fifteen and sixteen hours a day trying to get ready for… whatever happens. You and Ron and Neville need to take up the slack."

"You won't regret this Harry."

"I kind of already do." He felt like he had been out flanked. "There will be ground rules. No Slytherins."

Hermione agreed. "They don't invite us to their study sessions."

Harry continued. "No one under… Fourth year. Even that's stretching things."

Hermione could only think of Dennis Creevey… and he was a third year. The only one... "Can you make an exception for Dennis? He's really good Harry…"

Harry groaned. He had a soft spot for the Creevey's. "Alright… but no one else under fourth year. And Colin will have to help him through the more advanced material."

Hermione nodded. Too many younger students would slow things down. "Anything else?"

"No Cho Chang." Harry said it fast and almost snickered at how it sounded.

Hermione winced. "Harry… you can't kick her out."

Harry paused and looked directly at her. "Why not?" He wasn't snickering now.

Hermione squirmed a bit. "Because it will look bad on you. Let this one go… Ron and I can work with her. You won't need to have any direct contact." She saw Harry adopt his defiant look. "Harry, please believe me, kicking her out would be a mistake. You'll alienate Ravenclaw. And Filius."

Harry realised she was right. Screw Ravenclaw… but he valued his friendship with Filius.

"Alright. But I don't ever want to be alone with her."

Hermione gave a quick nod and smiled.

The seekers were now up. Ron seemed unfocused… He lacked confidence. Somehow, he managed to block five throws, but it was close. One attempt actually bounced off his head. Harry knew it didn't look good for the boy.

Cormac McLaggen then rose up for his turn. "This'll be close. Cormac's pretty coordinated. If he blocks five, he'll probably get the position. Ron really only stopped five due to luck."

Hermione looked nervous. Harry realised she was definitely pulling for Ron. They watched Cormac effortlessly deflect four strong throws. The guy had skills. Four out of four, and Ginny was coming around for the fifth throw. Harry felt a build-up of magic beside him. Glancing over, Harry saw Hermione grip her wand… she was aiming!

Just when Ginny began her approach, Harry heard a muffled _"Confundus!"_

And Cormac missed the block badly. Harry stared at Hermione until she couldn't ignore him.

She looked over and started to say something, but no words came out.

Harry smirked proudly at her. "Never, ever lecture me on breaking the rules again…" He was giddy as the team wrapped up.

Harry was loving the idea that Hermione now had no moral ground to stand on when she wanted to lecture him. For her part, it was all red cheeked embarrassment. Christmas came early this year!

— **DoD—**

**Harry has been back for two weeks now and his Visions are beginning to give him issues. I admit to enjoying writing Bellatrix and I hope you all enjoyed this Chapter. I'll be splitting my time between Dance of Death and Casting Shadows until this story is complete. I plan to wrap up year six in four to five chapters, then the seventh year fun begins.**

**This covers Harry's first two weeks back at Hogwarts. In the next chapter, we'll have Harry's training dialled up a few notches.**


	41. Chapter 41

— **Dance of Death 41—**

**In the last chapter, Harry had his first two weeks back at Hogwarts. He began duelling training with Professor Flitwick and is continuing his Psychometry training with Senior Unspeakable Oppenheimer. Additionally, he is taking potions with Slughorn and Ancient Runes with Babbage. Once he had progressed as far as Flitwick could take him, he planned to begin Battle Training with Dumbledore.**

**In addition to his other training, he met regularly with Dumbledore and Oppenheimer to review a collection of memories regarding Tom Riddle, aka Voldemort. The hope is that Harry would be able to use his Divinatory abilities to find the third Horcrux and anticipate Voldemort's activities. As it stood, he had already had one vision of Bellatrix murdering a group of Abbotts.**

**Draco was back in the Slytherin house and was keeping Harry abreast of new information. Currently, Draco felt certain that Theodore Nott was up to something.**

**This is where we pick up.**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.**

**FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories. Many of the spells in this chapter are from the Earthdawn setting, I just put a Latin name on them.**

" _ **§Example of Parseltongue §."**_

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

— **Dance of Death 41—**

**Hogwarts**

**Room of Requirement**

**September 20** **th** **, 1996**

**Friday**

Harry pivoted to the left and fired a cutting curse, quickly followed by a blasting curse. Two practice dummies were destroyed. He anticipated another attack and parried the curse at a third practice dummy while sending a piercing hex at the practice dummy that launched it. He stood there in his 'ready' stance and surveyed the damage. Seven practice dummies had been destroyed and he had yet to take a hit.

"Bravo Harry, well done!" Professor Flitwick was applauding him with his usual enthusiasm.

"Thank you, Filius. Using both wands is getting easier."

"You've made great strides, Harry. Next week we'll introduce dummies that move and defend themselves."

Harry couldn't suppress a grin. "Time to take the training wheels off."

Filius looked curiously at him. "Training wheels? I suppose that's a muggle term… But if it means we're ready to increase the difficulty, then yes."

Harry wondered, "Professor, you trained me in the fourth year, how do I seem now?"

Filius thought a moment, "You're more powerful and confident. You've lost a little speed and your movements are slightly stiffer, but the skill is impressive. You couldn't have pulled off what you did in the Ministry two years ago." Filius wondered what Harry really wanted to know. "Why do you ask?"

Harry finished a sip of water. "It just seems like I'm no better with two wands than I was with one… Everything is different."

Filius had been expecting this. "Correct. Your stance is more front facing, your feet are moving about more, and your rhythm is off. But you are learning to shift away from attacks instead of dodge. You are also learning to use your wands while in motion. It takes time. Your muggle fisticuff training is reducing that time."

Harry got right to the point, "I just wonder… would it be better to keep focusing on single wand use? You and Dumbledore only use one wand… so does Voldemort. It can't be all that bad. And honestly, the whole "economy of movement" could apply to single wand use as well as dual wands. Then you have the scenarios where I may only have one wand…"

Filius reflected on the fact that he and Dumbledore had the same discussion over the summer. Dumbledore had pressed for building and expanding his already impressive combat foundation. Filius had argued that Harry was still at a point where he could become a better duellist than Albus or Grindelwald, but the next year was critical and would require him to step backwards. Eventually, Dumbledore reluctantly agreed.

Considering this was his idea, Filius took a deep breath. He was about to say a mouthful.

"Harry, when you build a monument, you must lay one stone beneath the earth for every stone you set above. Your skills are like a monument, but your foundation won't let you progress to your potential. Unfortunately, that means we are having to dig up and re-set new stones in your foundation. Albus argued much the same as you. Fighting with a single wand won't keep you from attaining the goals you seek, but you won't surpass them, either. Dual wanded fighting is less important to a Transfiguration Master like Albus, James, or Charlus… but it will improve a Charms Master and a natural duellist. I suspect it will also work well with your inexplicable elemental and illusion magic." He gave Harry a curious look, then proceeded, "In short, you wish to match Albus in skill, but I want you to be _**better**_ than Albus or Grindelwald."

Harry thought about this for a moment. "I… alright."

Filius then led Harry to Dumbledore's office to review the memories and look for areas of improvement. Harry knew that the thorns had slowed him up a bit, but it was a price that had been well worth the return. Filius had always supported him and he trusted the diminutive Wizard's opinion. Harry hoped Filius would give him the green light in three months to progress to Battle Magic. Watching Bella kill that family reinforced the need to get better. Harry knew what he was up against.

Filius extracted his memories and placed them in the pensieve. They played through the last hour of practice and simulated combat, scrutinising Harry's movements in detail. Harry realised he was still slow in alternating between wands, but there was noticeable improvement. He had a few actions where he cast both almost simultaneously, but most of the time that wasn't the case.

Filius drew Harry's attention. "Observe your stance, Harry. You have your weight far too much on your front foot. Then, when you pivot, you have to shift the weight before you can move effectively. We'll work on that." After a brief pause, he said, "You fight… very much like your father."

Harry had been instructed by his father's incarnation in his dreamscape for the last year. It had saved his arse in the Department of Mysteries, but it didn't align as well with a dual wanded style. Filius walked him through a few other areas for focused improvement, but Harry noted the progress was beginning to show. He was a hell of a fighter.

After reviewing key points one more time, they withdrew from the pensieve and Harry began making notes while Filius watched and sipped his tea. Harry spent nearly thirty minutes making notes and asking Filius for clarification on a few points. When he was done, the conversation became less 'technical'.

Filius asked, "Harry, I notice you don't use Transfiguration as much in combat. Why is that?"

Harry shrugged, "It's useful, but I mainly use it to get breathing room. Curses and Charms are faster and… I don't know. My dad was like Dumbledore… But it doesn't suit me the same way. I'll use it when I need to… Especially against multiple attackers."

Filius nodded. "Your father was a Transfiguration prodigy. You are exceptionally skilled, but you lack a bit of his… _brilliance_ with the field of Transfiguration. You shine in other areas. In many ways you really are a blend of both parents, but you tend to favour your mother. They were so different from a magically point of view… Today I saw a bit less of them in your movements. That's good. Emulating the style of another is a particularly good way to make you effective in a short span of time, but finding your own style is what all the best combatants strive for."

"Is my style similar to any famous duellists? Single or dual wanded? From your own observations, of course…"

Filius hesitated. "You favour the style of… I hesitate to say, Harry. There are so many gifted duellists… and battle magic will change your style even further." Filius could see Harry's mind turning… wondering… "Very well. Based on my current observations, your style is similar to that of Gellert Grindelwald. Your use of illusions and Transfiguration lends a different flavour, but the rest… It's frighteningly similar."

Harry was only able to stare. This was not what he had expected. He fought like the most successful Dark Lord in modern times…

Filius shook his head, "Harry, Grindelwald was a gifted duellist and combatant. Yes, you have similar combat movements and rhythms… but that doesn't mean you have the same lack of morality. As you develop in dual wanded fighting, even those similarities will be reduced."

"But... Grindelwald… He was…"

"He was one of the most skilled wizards to ever live. Between you and me, Harry, I think the Headmaster got lucky in their final duel. If Grindelwald had been proficient with two wands… I suspect the outcome would have been far different. Take pride in who you are and what you've accomplished."

Harry gave a weak nod. "Yes, sir."

Filius saw Harry had calmed down. "Very well, let's discuss a few options with spell chains. Now that you've reached a skill level where you're casting is silent and the wand movements are less important, we can get much more creative."

Harry thought about what Filius had said… Emulating another can get you to a respectable proficiency fast. Most of Hermione's DA members would never put in the time or have the talent to develop their own style. If he could find three or so styles that were effective, he could probably match them to most people…

"Professor, I plan to teach a few of my friends after the New Year… what fighting styles would you recommend emulating? To get good fast. When students don't have time to do what we're doing."

Filius looked at Harry for a moment, "Well, it depends on the friends… Are you talking about Miss Granger's little club?"

Harry groaned… cats out of the bag. "Yes, sir. They're getting good training now, but with Voldemort back I'd like to get them to a point where… where they could be effective. I don't trust the Slytherins and I'm not sure what the Death Eaters have planned over the Summer Holiday. Snape's surprisingly a rather good Defence teacher, but there have been years of lousy training." Thinking a moment, he added, "I especially need to help the ones that aren't really…you know. The ones like Luna."

Filius smiled. He knew Harry had a soft spot for Luna… and all the less resilient students. Harry Potter really did have a 'saving people' problem.

"I'll see what I can come up with, Harry. The basics can save lives… when used appropriately. Did you have anything specific in mind?"

Harry hadn't thought much about it, "Maybe one primary style that could be applied to most of the people, with a few extra for the more gifted individuals based on their natural ability… Also, if you don't mind, help me develop a few generic but effective spell chains. Generic and flexible is the key here. Something they can practice over and over and over until they're second nature."

Filius was proud of Harry… This was a good plan. "I'll see what I can come up with. I can't sponsor a club unless it's open to the entire school, but I can definitely help you develop a solid foundation among the students. Perhaps we can use a bit of time after your training to review your friend's abilities in the pensieve."

"Thank you, Filius."

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Room of Requirement**

**September 22nd, 1996**

**Sunday**

Hermione had been studying with Ron in the library when Ron suddenly asked her if she could help him with his silent casting, it had been an out of the blue request, but she knew he was struggling. She agreed and they went to the Room of Requirement. Upon entering, Hermione immediately saw balloons, food, and streamers. All at once, over a dozen other students jumped out.

" **SURPRIIIISE!"**

She looked over at Ron who just shrugged.

Hermione pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, Ron!" She had been waiting for a romantic gesture of some sort… This may not be a candlelight dinner and dancing, but it was special. It was from the heart.

Ron turned red and said, "Harry and Ginny helped. Neville, too."

Harry had actually suggested this when Ron asked him for advice a week ago, but he insisted Ron take the credit. Dobby and Pipsey prepared the food and decorations.

Hermione had tears in her eyes as everyone came over to wish her well. "Thank you! I don't know what to say…" Harry and Ginny were there. Neville and Luna too. Most of the DA was there. Over twenty people.

There was a cake and all manner of treats. Hermione's parents even sent along some gifts and cards. She was seventeen now. In the wizarding world, that meant she was officially recognised as an adult. All the gifts were from the heart. Ron gave her a bracelet with matching earrings. It was enchanted with a few minor charms for simple protection. It was a genuinely nice gift and the protections would incrementally boost her mental defences. Harry also gave her a special gift. It was a set of two books.

The first book was a brand new and fully enchanted Grimoire. It was designed to last and had multiple protective and preservative enchantments on it. There were enough pages for perhaps thirty-five or so spells. It was a gift you give to someone with aspirations of building family magic. The second book was handwritten and was a collection of tips and tricks that Harry had pulled from the Half Blood Prince's Advanced Potions book.

As Hermione looked through the book, she noticed a few spells at the end. Looking up at Harry she asked, "What are these?"

Harry pointed to a few entries. "These are effective spells either designed by or researched and recorded by the 'Half Blood Prince'. Some are rather lethal. I've added my own notes. I also put in a few Charms and Runic combinations for warding's. Some I made myself or found in obscure books. They're rather unique…"

Hermione beamed… She knew these were charms and runic combinations he had come up with… He was sharing his own creations.

"Thank you, Harry! These are amazing… I'd hug you… But…"

Harry winced, "Yeah, the thorns. They'll be gone in a few months, so I'll take a rain check."

Hermione circulated about the room with Ron and thanked everyone. It was nice to see so many people turn out to wish her a happy birthday. She looked about and saw Ginny had split off from Harry and was with the Quidditch team. All of whom were present. By the look on their faces, they were strategising. Harry was with Lavender and Parvati… and his Familiar. It was odd how much the Runespoor seemed to like the two Divination Princesses. Of course, now that she'd heard some of Harry's stories, Hermione knew there was more to Divination that she had once thought.

Neville was with Dean and Seamus. The Gryffindor boys had all bonded under Umbridge. Who would have thought Neville would be such a natural leader… Well, he was a leader when under duress. Still truly kind and quiet during normal times. But he had proved himself and was now respected by the entire DA. Luna was flittering about and it was nice to see how accepted she was.

These were Hermione's friends. The people she cared for the most.

It was her Seventeenth Birthday!

— **DoD—**

**Divination Classroom**

**October 4, 1996**

**Friday**

Harry was sitting in the corner with Padma watching his Familiar interact with Lavender and Parvati. He had asked Andromeda to send over a few fashion magazines and Selene was sharing with her friends. Artemis and Hecate enjoyed it to a point, but Harry knew he'd have to step in at some point or Hecate and Artemis would grow bored and begin sniping at Selene. He figured he had about thirty more minutes before the fangs came out.

In theory, this was the 'Divination Club', but only Lavender and Parvati were here. Harry suspected the others were afraid of his girls. Apparently, it was a rather small club that met every week. Based on what he saw, Divination wasn't the primary topic. Well, not unless you count predicting fashion trends and colour palettes.

Padma was working with him on an advanced Ancient Runes assignment. It was actually beyond NEWT level, but Padma was as good as Hermione, so this wasn't too much of a stretch for her. It dovetailed his Curse-Breaker training quite nicely.

Padma gave him an odd look after they wrapped up the first half of the assignment. "So, Harry… Where are Hermione and Ginny these days?"

"Ron and Ginny are at Quidditch practice. Hermione likes to cheer Ron on. I'd be there with her, but apparently, I'm a distraction. Katie asked me not to come." Realising how that sounded, he added, "I get it, Ginny needs to stay focused and apparently I make some of the other players nervous."

Padma looked both shocked and irritated for him. "Wait, why do you make them nervous?"

Harry shook his head annoyed at the whole thing. "I have no idea. Maybe it's the whole Eiectio drama or they're afraid of snakes… I don't know. Could be the Thorns."

Padma forced a polite smile. "Well, it works for me. I get to tap into that Curse-Breaker runic knowledge you seem to have so much of." She hated thinking about Harrys fourth year.

"Nice. Any interest yourself? You'd be really good. I honestly think you could walk right into the program and take the exam. With a little tutoring…" He gave her a mild smirk.

Padma was pretty cool, and they had an easy rapport. Sort of like Hermione, but slightly less serious. He and Hermione frequently invited her into their study sessions. Hogwarts had a few students that really excelled here or there, Padma was one of them. There were others… Draco with Charms and Potions, Hermione in loads of fields, Daphne Greengrass had a high average, but Harry had no clue where her interests lay. Charms maybe? Likely anything cold and frigid. A few others… But he just never got around to getting to know any of them.

Harry was roused out of his thoughts by the sound of hissing… Hecate was pestering Selene. This wouldn't end well. Harry walked over and tried to bring peace and order. Lavender looked a bit nervous.

Harry had the perfect solution. "Hey, how do you guys feel about pushing a couple of tables together? Padma and I need Hecate for a few minutes."

Lavender looked up, "Sure, Harry. I don't think all of your girls like Fashion as much as Selene." Harry noted Hecate was looking over at Padma and Selene was glaring. Artemis was looking at him.

Artemis asked, _§ "What about me, Harry? I'm bored."§_

 _§ "Fancy a game of Chess?"§_ That got her interested. Almost as Chess crazy as Ron.

Soon they had their tabled pushed together and Harry was forced to play the interpreter for his Familiars. Hecate was reviewing Padma's notes and had a few questions. Selene had Harry express her opinion on various outfits. For a snake, she could be rather catty. Harry and Artemis settled into a very one-sided chess match. He just couldn't concentrate with all the extra translating he was doing.

Dobby brought them some snacks and a small mammal for Hecate. They soon settled in and relaxed. It was casual and nice. They talked about Tarot cards and Arithmancy. Quidditch and predictions for the next game. Finally, they landed on Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. When Harry mentioned being a silent partner, Lavender began asking about employee discounts and wanting different merchandise.

Harry hadn't expected that. "Well, I'll see what I can do. Is there anything in particular…?"

Lavender and Parvati gave each other a knowing look. It was clear they had a few things already in their mind. For the next five minutes, they managed to create a list three times. Apparently, they hadn't expected to meet one of the owners.

Harry looked over the final list. "You guys know I'm just a silent investor… I'll see what I can do. Don't tell anyone." The list wasn't really that bed. No way was he getting the love potions, but trick crystal balls and Oracle cards looked do-able.

Parvati asked, "So, you'll get it all for us?" They both looked so… hopeful. Padma whispered something under her breath.

"I'll do it this time… Well, most of it. But only because you guys never wore the 'Potter Stinks' buttons. I can't even tell you… I hated those things." He never enjoyed talking about fourth year.

Lavender looked straight at him. "It was fate, Harry. The 'Powers that Be' wanted us to become friends."

Harry smiled. "Well, good on them." Whatever… Harry noticed the two girls briefly looked at each other.

Parvati took it as a challenge. "You don't believe us. We can prove it, though."

Lavender said, "When Gryffindor House had their De-Housing election meeting, we were right here, forming the Divination club. We didn't even know about it."

Parvati jumped in saying, "Then, those 'Potter Stinks' buttons… We saw Marietta Edgecombe crying about the massive hole it left in her cashmere sweater. The pin went through her robes and she didn't know it. Then she tried to remove just the robe…"

Lavender continued, "I think you can guess what happened next." She had a knowing smirk. "Rrriiiiiip!"

Parvati added, "You can't just mend cashmere with a charm, Harry…" With a chuckle she added, "Marietta's kind of a bitch, though…"

Lavender finished with, "Soooo, we never even considered buying one of those monstrosities. Then we found out Draco was making a profit!"

Parvati actually snapped her fingers. "Nope. Not gonna happen. You may be friends with Draco now, but we're not."

They both looked at him with a smug grin. Both of them simultaneously said, "Fate."

Harry glanced at Padma and saw she was kind of embarrassed. Pity? No… just, embarrassed.

Harry looked at the two Gryffindors. "So basically, you never signed the Eiectio because you were not around… And you didn't wear the buttons… because yow re afraid it would ruin your clothes…?"

Lavender smiled and nodded. "I thought it was called an election or an ejection… but that's about right. Well, that and Padma told us not to." Suddenly realising how it sounded, she quickly amended, "We wouldn't have anyway. Everyone was being so mean…"

The two girls suddenly looked guilty… Harry didn't think to raise his Occlumency face.

Parvati put her hand on his arm, then pulled back when she nicked it on a thorn. "Harry, just because fate stepped in, doesn't mean we're not your friends. We like you for who you are… You don't even have to get that stuff on the list. Don't be so serious all the time. We like seeing you smile."

Harry saw Selene looking at him. These were her friends… And his…

He forced a smile. "Well, who am I to argue with Fate?"

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts Gates**

**October 12, 1996**

**Saturday**

Ginny looked over at Harry as he was finishing breakfast in the Great Hall. Today they were finally getting out of the castle. Hogsmeade was going to be so much fun. If only he didn't have those damn thorns… Always in pain… Just thinking about what her boyfriend was going through was almost enough to make her cry. Harry was so functional most people forget that the thorns are a constant source of pain and discomfort. At least he had his magic again…

Harry set down his fork. "Ready to go, Gin?"

Ginny responded with an impish grin, "I was ready ten minutes ago."

Harry laughed, then he stood up and held out his hand. "Let's head out. I thought we could shop around for a couple of hours, maybe Honeydukes and Zonko's. Then go to the Three Broomsticks. What did you want to do?"

Ginny wanted to get close and snuggle up, but she knew very well how nasty his thorns were. Holding hands through dragon hide gloves was the best they'd be able to do until spring. Harry was moving a bit slower than normal, but Ginny knew Professor Flitwick was now pushing him much harder than last month. Harry was frequently getting minor and not-so-minor mending's done in the infirmary.

Ginny smiled and took his hand. "I'd like to check out Gladrags then Spintwitches. You know, clothes and Quidditch. Then we can relax at the Broomsticks." This would be fun!

Harry smiled, "Sounds like a plan!"

As they walked and began working on where they would go first, they heard a voice calling out.

It was Dumbledore. "Mr. Potter, if I may have a moment of your time…" looking sadly at Ginny, he added, "Miss Weasley, I hope you don't mind my intrusion."

"No, sir." But she did mind. A lot. And judging by Harry's jaw, he did too.

"There's been an event we need your… unique abilities for."

Harry looked perplexed. "Parselmouth?"

Dumbledore shook his head slightly, "Psychometry."

Ginny noticed Harry stiffen up. "How bad is it?" he asked.

"It is a rather gruesome scene and you should prepare yourself. It will also require a trip to Ireland." Looking back at Ginny, Dumbledore stressed, "I trust you to keep this confidential, Miss Weasley. I feel certain Harry will share with you when he returns."

Ginny gave a small nod. "I'll just go with Luna. She was almost done with breakfast when we left." Seeing Harry's face drop, she added, "It's alright, there'll be other weekends. If you get back in time, you can join us."

Ginny was fairly certain Harry was going to a murder scene. Was it fair to force her Harry to focus on such horrible things? The vision he had of the Abbot family really upset him… Why wasn't the headmaster warning him away from 'nightmare inducing' places?

Seeing Luna walking out of the Great Hall, Ginny flagged her down with a wave. She'd still have fun, just not with her boyfriend.

— **DoD—**

**Livius Home**

**Ireland, Cavan Region**

Dumbledore and Harry arrived outside a slightly larger than average home that was somewhat off the beaten path. The front door had been demolished along with much of the surrounding wall. The property had a life size statue of a woman in a toga. The statue was intact, except for her head, which had been blown clean off. It was a pretty statue, but Harry thought it seemed odd having one in the front yard. Peering closer and opening his senses, he noted that the statue served as the primary ward stone of the property. Likely, it was tied to others forming a perimeter.

Looking around, he saw a few other statues in a circular pattern around the house. All were showing signs of damage. Likely there were more in back. It was an older warding design that had been quite effective in ancient Greece, but it left the ward stones exposed. Once the primary stone was destroyed, the others fell as well.

Looking up, he saw Dumbledore watching him. "Harry, I take it you've identified the ward structure of this domicile. What else can you glean from the state the structure is in?"

Harry gave Dumbledore an irritated look. "We're walking into a murder scene and you want to play 'Professor'?"

Dumbledore considered his statement and nodded, "Every event is an opportunity to learn, Harry. Never pass it up."

Harry bit back a sharp retort. "Well. The Wardstone was attacked from above…" Harry noted the angle of impact. "More than likely it was from a 'Reductor' curse. Judging by the swelling on the ground, the warding was disrupted by some form of earth moving charm. Possibly an Earth Elemental, but I doubt it. Above ground warding's don't extend very deep… The Romans exploited this fact in their conquest of Greece. That's why most Wardstones are now buried. Well, partially… depending on the warder."

Dumbledore looked exceptionally pleased. "And the other Wardstones ?"

Harry shrugged, "Feedback from the primary being destroyed. Whoever set this up did a piss poor job. They might as well have just put a target on the Primary Wardstone. Seriously, it's the largest and most impressive of all the statues. The Greek warders used to blend the primary Wardstone in with the secondary ones… Sometimes they just used columns… Anything to throw the Romans off."

Dumbledore listened intently. "I did not know that Harry. Your time with William has been well spent. Now _**I've**_ learned something. Let's now proceed into the home.

Entering the home, Harry saw Tonks, Kingsley, and an Unspeakable. He wasn't sure who the Unspeakable was due to the cloak and the enchantments on the hood, but he thought it might be Fritz given his inclusion in the investigation.

Tonks smiled and gave a playful wink, "Wotcher, Harry." She was putting on a nice face, but he could tell she was holding back emotions. Likely anger and sadness.

Kingsley Shacklebolt gave him a small nod… He obviously didn't like Harry being here. It was nice to see a responsible adult, but Harry knew this was something he shouldn't be shielded from. Quite frankly, he'd seen some pretty rough things already. The Unspeakable turned and approached.

He shifted his hood back and ended the enchantment. It was Fritz. Or more accurately, Sr. Unspeakable Oppenheimer. His face was nothing like the sarcastic teacher he had come to appreciate. It was grim.

"Albus, Mr. Potter. I'm sorry to pull you away from Hogwarts… Follow me." Harry knew that by addressing him as Mr. Potter, this was all business. Not waiting for a response, Sr. Unspeakable Oppenheimer turned and proceeded to what appeared to be a study. Harry and Dumbledore followed, and Harry began looking about.

All the books had been strewn about. The walls had been laid bare and the furniture was destroyed. All except for two chairs facing one another. And on those chairs were two bodies, still tied to the chairs. Opening up his magic, the room felt putrid and vile… Harry could tell some rather vicious curses were cast here. Cruciatus and Killing Curse, specifically. He then sensed a bit of simple Confundus or repelling magic around a section of the wall. On closer scrutiny, he could see where a demolished safe had been ripped out from the studs. Whatever had been in it, did not appear to have pleased Voldemort.

Oppenheimer stepped around the two bodies. "They were each held under the Cruciatus curse while the other was forced to watch. Most likely it was done one at a time… Apparently, whatever Riddle wanted, he couldn't get from Legilimency. He needed them to puzzle through their thoughts and free up any suppressed memories."

Harry looked on, wondering what they needed him for. Unless Voldemort left something behind, Psychokinesis was out.

Dumbledore looked at his student, "Harry, we need to know what Voldemort was looking for. We are hoping you can aid in this…"

Harry looked closely at the Headmaster. Then he looked at Oppenheimer. There was something else, something they weren't telling him. He began looking about the room.

"Is there anything Voldemort left behind? Any clues? There are no mirrors or reflective surfaces…" He needed something… "Are you wanting me to meditate or…"

Oppenheimer interrupted him, "There are three options. A meditative trance and vision, Psychometry, and Optography. The meditative trance is hit or miss… likely a miss given the levels of magic in the background. We haven't trained in Optography as it borders on Necromancy… It's the practice of extracting the last image recorded from a dead person's eye. It lacks auditory information, so it's not likely to achieve what we need." Harry could tell he was now hesitating.

Oppenheimer rubbed his chin. It was obvious he didn't want to make this request… "I recommend sitting in the chair of the husband. I don't ask this lightly, Harry…" Harry noted there was no longer a 'Mr. Potter'. "If you decline, there is no shame… And I really don't want you gazing into a dead man's eye."

"Agreed!" Dumbledore did not look pleased. "Necromancy is not something a sixteen-year-old student should delve into." There was no twinkle in his eye.

Harry looked closer at the chair. It had blood and urine on it… Typical for someone under the Cruciatus. A sniff confirmed the couple had both become incontinent at the end of their life. It was sad and revolting… No one should go through that. Sitting in either chair was not something he wanted to do.

"Clear the chair. I'll do it once." He really did not want to do this!

Dumbledore and Oppenheimer gently removed the man's body from the chair. They treated the body with respect and dignity as they set him in the corner and closed his eyes. Harry noted they didn't touch the woman.

Harry gestured to the woman, "Aren't you going to move… his wife?"

Both older wizards looked conflicted. Harry immediately understood. He was going to have to stare at the woman and try to psychically connect to the horrible scene. Realisation must have shown on his face.

Dumbledore sadly said, "I'm deeply sorry, Harry. It's not too late to decline."

Oppenheimer added, "We can move the wife if you prefer, but it may impact the vision."

"No. Leave her." Looking at the stained wooden chair, he realised he hadn't brought his cushioning mat. This would be uncomfortable. "What do we do?"

Oppenheimer directed him, "You sit in the chair. We replicate the bindings, and you begin the exercises. Once you have the information, extract yourself immediately. Harry, I won't lie to you, this won't be pleasant."

Harry stepped over and sat in the chair. It hadn't been cleaned, s it was pretty foul. For the first time, he looked up and saw the poor woman in front of him. She had obviously been tortured.

Oppenheimer said, "Harry, place your arms here and here…" Harry noted the clinical directions. Like Madame Pomfrey tended to give. "I'll replicate bindings on now." Harry felt him conjure ropes around his arms, legs, and chest. When the bindings were all in place, Harry realised he was in the exact same position the victim had been in.

Oppenheimer continued. "Slowly begin your exercises… Breath in and out… in and out… Open up your senses and your magic…"

Harry began to open up… The room slowly shifted into a pattern of threads and interwoven magic… all overlaying the physical reality. As he gazed forward, he became acutely aware of the chair he was in. It was hard and the thorns were pressed uncomfortably against it… He continued to delve into the chair…

The elderly woman seated before him looked up at him in terror… She knew what was coming. A cold inhuman voice rang out… _**"Crucio!"**_ Immediately, she began screaming and thrashing about. It was brutal to see this loving and loyal woman going through so much pain… Why? Why were they targeted? He slowly began to cry. After what seemed like minutes, his wife was released from the horrible curse. Her head collapsed against her chest as she shook with sobs and tears.

Then a horrible and hissing voice said, "Tell me, Gregor. Tell me what I need to know, and this will all end. I only want the wand…"

Watching his poor wife through tear filled eyes, he could only say the truth. "I've told you… we don't have it. We never did! Please, just let us go…" He began crying again.

He peered up at the monstrous man standing over him. His eyes were like red slits in a snake-like face. It was pure evil. _**"Crucio!"**_

Blinding pain surged through and over his entire body. It was terrible and unbearable… but he felt somehow disconnected to the pain. It was there… and he vomited and lost bodily control… but it was like reliving a memory. Then, after what felt like an eternity, it ended.

Voldemort spoke again in low hissing tones. "Ah, Gregor Livius, let's try this one more time while Agnes recovers. Search through your childhood… any mention of the Elder Wand, the Death stick, or the Wand of Destiny… Focus on these names…or perhaps the name Loxias…"

The eyes bore down and ripped through his mind, mercilessly searching… While he screamed in agony. His every thought and memory were laid bare. It was a terrible violation.

Dimly, Harry knew had what he needed… he forced himself out of the vision and into his own body. He was screaming too.

As he returned to his own consciousness, he checked his occlumency shields… fully intact. He just sat there quivering. Eventually, he raised his head. The restraints on his arms and legs had been removed, but the one around his chest was still in place. Likely to keep him upright. He went to comb his hand through his hair but ended up scraping himself on thorns. Slowly he realized how warm his pants were… and how wet.

"Harry, are you alright?" It was Tonks. There was deep concern in her voice and on her face.

Everything slowly came into focus… yeah, he'd wet himself. Vomited on himself too. Why hadn't they told him to use the bathroom before this started? He could feel the tears running down his face.

Harry managed to croak out… "I got it. I know what he wants…"

Tonks exploded, "What the fuck? You pathetic bastards! You put him through this? We already know what he wanted…"

Albus shook his head, "We had to be certain…"

Harry shook his head… they already knew? "The Elder Wand. He's after the Elder Wand…"

He noted no one seemed surprised.

Fritz asked, "What did he learn? Did he get it?"

Now Harry knew what they really wanted. "No. His victims didn't know anything…"

Everyone in the room visibly relaxed. Well, almost everyone. Harry noticed that Dumbledore seemed to be scrutinising something.

"So, how did you know? How did you know why he was here?" Harry tried not to sound royally pissed off.

Oppenheimer answered calmly, "The trail of the Elder wand became _questionable_ after Loxias owned it. It is believed to have fallen into the hands of one of two wizards… Arcus or Livius. He Arcus family is no more, and these are the final members of the Livius family."

Harry swallowed water from a glass Shacklebolt gave him. "So, the trail ends here. I'm telling you; Gregor Livius had no idea. He would have talked if he had known."

Oppenheimer considered this. "Then the trail has gone cold and we have no idea where he'll go next."

Harry really wanted to get into a clean set of robes. "I need to clean up. I…" Harry glanced embarrassedly at Tonks. He didn't want her to judge him…

"Harry don't be embarrassed. Everyone… I mean, anyone who went through… just, don't be embarrassed." She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

Kingsley said, "You were in your trance for hours… your screams were what drew us into the room."

Hours… "What time is it?" Harry had wanted to join Ginny in Hogsmeade if there was time…

Kingsley checked his watch. "It's nearly three o'clock, Harry."

Harry asked, "Can I use a shower or something?"

Kingsley shook his head, "This is a crime scene… but we can conjure something outside."

Harry stood up and 'Scourgified' his robes. He stood outside while Kingsley and Dumbledore conjured a makeshift shower. Instead of plumbing, it had a moderate sized cistern suspended with columns over a showerhead. They filled the tub with the Aguamenti charm. A crude lever would open up the showerhead to the water cistern. A low wall was conjured around it with a small opening. Harry stepped into the makeshift shower. It was cool, so he applied a makeshift warming charm and then heated the water.

He called out, "Pipsey!"

The small Potter family house elf appeared. "Yous calls, Tiny Harry?"

"Yes, Pipsey… Can you clean my robes? Or even just burn and replace them?"

Pipsey looked them over… "Pipsey can fix yous accident."

"Thanks, Pipsey. I kind of need a towel and soap, too…" Harry debated about challenging this as an accident but decided to just let it go.

With a nod, Pipsey Apparated away. In less than two minutes, she returned with a change of clothes, a towel, a washcloth, soap, and shampoo. She was always so eager to please… She even brought a grilled cheese sandwich and a glass of milk.

Harry thanked her and pulled the lever. The water wasn't quite as hot as he liked it, but it wasn't cold either. Within about five minutes he was done, dressed and into his grilled cheese. He was a lot hungrier than he thought. Looking across the front yard, he saw Pipsey and Dobby setting up more food and drink. Apparently, they were worried about the four adults missing lunch and possibly dinner.

Harry was still hungry as he approached the others. Fritz had departed, but Dumbledore, Tonks, and Kingsley were still here. They were very relieved to have food brought in.

Tonks approached him first. "You alright tiger?" She was keeping it light, but Harry could see she was concerned.

Harry decided a little levity was in order. "I'm decent, all things considered. But, I gotta say, I'm getting tired of all this 'Dirty Divination'. I keep wondering, when do I get to do something fun with it. You know, play the lottery or bet on a football match? All this murder and mayhem is getting me down, Tonks…" Harry always enjoyed hanging out with Tonks.

They laughed and ate for a few minutes, then Harry approached his Headmaster.

Harry asked Dumbledore, "Why does Voldemort want the Elder wand? He never had it before…"

Dumbledore adopted a concerned look. "Harry, I was gaining the upper hand in my duel… Then you managed to overpower him at the Ministry. He didn't just lose a number of followers in that exchange, I suspect he lost a bit of his confidence as well. Losing his duel with you was a far greater blow to his sense of immortality than he is willing to accept. In his mind, he's out numbered and, as the muggles say, out gunned."

Harry understood. "He's looking for more firepower. He's afraid."

Albus sighed, "So it would seem…" after a moment he added, "One should never underestimate a Dark Lord that has been backed into a corner, Harry. That's when he's at his most dangerous."

— **DoD—**

**Hogsmeade**

**At the same time**

Ginny and Luna had a nice day in Hogsmeade. While Ginny missed Harry, she tried to make the best of the situation. The two girls basically went into every shop and store in the small town. She and Luna had been friends for years and sometimes acted rather silly together. It was good fun and a nice break from the seriousness of the Quidditch team.

Eventually they found themselves at the Three Broomsticks with Colin and Demelza. The joked around and drank butterbeer for a good hour, snacking on various appetizers. Eventually Luna got up to use the loo while Ginny and Colin began discussing the pending OWL exams. They all knew their NEWT studies depended on their OWL performance and they were understandably concerned. Potions was out for all of them, Snape had succeeded in ruining the course for all present… but that was a shame given the need for a Potions NEWT in multiple careers.

Ginny was pointing out how different it was with Professor Slughorn when she saw Luna emerge from the loo and step outside. Thinking she needed a bit of air, Ginny turned back to the conversation. She was so used to hanging out with Harry and his group she missed out on time in her own year. Colin and Luna all had the same OWL centric stress and concerns. This was fun. A few minutes later, she realised Luna hadn't returned.

Ginny turned to her friends, "Hey guys, I'm going to check on Luna, save my spot."

Ginny stepped outside and saw Luna well off and moving quickly toward the castle. Why had she left without saying goodbye? And why was she in such a hurry? Luna tended to have a very casual relationship with timeliness… She also tended to get distracted and meander toward whatever interesting thing caught her eye… But she was walking in a straight line and rather briskly. Had something happened?

"LUNA! Wait up!" Ginny called out.

Luna either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her. Had someone bullied her? Ginny began jogging toward her friend. She knew how bad Luna had it her first few years, maybe it was starting up again. Ginny called out twice more as she closed the distance, but Luna never acknowledged her. When she finally caught up, she grabbed Luna's shoulder.

"Luna, what's going on? Why won't you stop?" Luna tended to always have a wistful look about her, but she looked different. Ginny noted she was both focused and unfocused at the same time.

Luna looked at Ginny and said, "I can't stop, Ginny. I have to deliver this to Draco…" Ginny noted she was holding some kind of parcel… Luna then turn and continued her path into the castle.

Ginny knew something was wrong. "Luna, wait… Let me see that…" She made to grab the package out of Luna's arms, but the tiny girls surged away forcefully enough to tear the packaging. Ginny tried harder to restrain Luna, but that just resulted in Luna thrashing about to get free.

Then, in the midst of the thrashing, a necklace fell out of the package and brushed against Luna's wrist – between her glove and her coat… Bare skin.

Luna emitted a terrifying scream and was jerked in the air and somehow held aloft. Her arms were stretched out painfully and blood began streaming from her nose, eyes, and ears. All the while, her scream continued and intensified. It was one of the most horrifying things Ginny had ever seen. After a few agonising seconds, Luna fell back to the earth unconscious. Ginny dimly noted her friend was still breathing…

Soon, Ginny was shouting in terror. "Help! Someone Help us!"

— **DoD—**

**Note: When I say 'duelling', I mean 'fighting'. Harry doesn't have a clue how to actually 'duel'. Filius is teaching him how to fight and survive.**

**I rewrote this chapter twice before I was happy with it. We are now seeing Harry getting better at Divination and Psychometry, but it's not something he enjoys. He is also getting better at dual wanded fighting and hopes to progress to Battle magic by the Yule break.**

**Luna's attack will be a wakeup call and you'll see his reaction next chapter. It will highlight his difference in perspective from Dumbledore's and the way they interact will be impacted. If Harry was focused before the attack, he will be even more focused after. In fact, the entire DA will be shaken. I originally had another 5000 or so words, but I wanted to post this and keep my momentum.**

**One thing that really surprised me is the lack of canon information around Ginny's year. I wanted her to interact with other kids in her year, but I only know of Colin and Luna. Strange. Demelza Robbins is in Dennis' year, but she's on the Quidditch team and has a bit of hero worship for Ginny, so I included her.**

**Next chapter we'll see an argument between Harry and Dumbledore, Minerva gets told off, and the DA is reformed.**


	42. Chapter 42

— **Dance of Death 42—**

**In the last chapter, Harry began using his emerging psychokinesis skills at a crime scene and learned that Voldemort was searching for the Elder wand. Upon returning to Hogwarts, they found that Luna had been horribly cursed in an attempt to kill Draco Malfoy.**

**This is where we pick up.**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.**

**FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories.**

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

— **Dance of Death 42—**

**Chapter 42: Grudges**

**Hogwarts**

**Horace Slughorn's Quarters**

**October 13, 1996**

**Sunday, late morning**

Harry was pacing back and forth in Horace Slughorn's quarters. His Familiar was watching intently as she could see how eager Harry was to lash out. He had spent all night yesterday evening calming Ginny down and now there were Aurors interrogating everyone who had access to Luna or Rosmerta. Apparently, Rosmerta had been placed under the Imperious curse and forced into passing the cursed package to Luna, but no one knew who had done it. It was also a mystery who had used the Imperious curse on Luna. Could someone under the imperious curse have Imperiused someone else? It seemed doubtful.

"Harry, my boy… you need to calm yourself." Horace handed Harry a crystal goblet. "Here, drink this. It's a very mild calming draught. Unlike the full-strength version, it actually tastes good. You need it, Harry."

Harry took the goblet and checked its basic astral signature… it looked fine and he trusted Horace. A detection charm would be better, but also insulting to his host.

"Thanks Professor Slughorn. I just can't believe this happened. I was only gone for a few hours…"

"Please, Harry…. When we're not in class you can call me Horace." He handed Harry a Brandy snifter. "Here you go. A little fortified wine can go a long way…"

Harry shared his thoughts. "Whoever did this was trying to get to Draco. Luna told Ginny she was delivering the package to him… He's with the Aurors now. They all are. Meanwhile I'm…"

Horace smiled sympathetically. "Meanwhile, you're pacing about and worried for your friends. I know how you feel. I remember one time; we had a horrible attack in Hogsmeade back in the late seventies. A number of students were caught up in it and there were casualties… Your mother stood right where you are now and nearly wore a hole in my carpet."

Harry stopped and looked over at the Potion master. "That's… Can you tell me about her? I mean, I know you've already told me so much, but what was she like in these kinds of situations? You know when she was sixteen…" He knew the way his mother's incarnation acted, but she reflected a woman who had been married and had a child.

"Oh, she was a fiery one. Your father was impulsive, but your mother was downright vicious if you crossed her. Always protective of her friends… Severus took her for granted… until it was too late. She was the only real friend he had. The other so-called friends… well, potion masters are extremely useful." Catching himself, Horace shook his head. "That was a long time ago. Forget I said that."

Harry gave a small nod. "I already know about their falling out. Just like I know he and my dad hated each other and he takes it out on me."

Horace adopted a sad smile. "He was jealous, Harry. Your father was everything he wanted to be… and when your mother chose him… Well, young Severus wasn't able to see his own fault in the entanglement."

"So, he just blames me… That's the adult thing to do."

Horace looked at his glass and said nothing.

"Let's just forget about Snape. I'm worried about Luna and Draco." Harry took a small sip… Brandy wasn't really his thing. Was it even eleven? "Thank you for the help, Horace… I hate intruding on you so much."

Horace waved off Harry's concerns. "Think nothing of it, my boy. You know my door is always open." Harry noted he was all good cheer.

"Thanks Horace. I thank god you and Filius are here every day." Harry set down his drink and moved to the door. § "Come on girls… we need to get back to our room."§

Horace seemed to beam with pride at Harry's last comment. "If there is anything that I can do… and please send my best to Ginevra. The poor dear…"

"I will Horace. She should be released from questioning soon." Harry stopped and turned toward Horace, "Did you know they wouldn't let me be there… Something about violent reactions… I heard Dumbledore talking to Tonks."

"I'm sure he wants only the best for you, Harry."

Harry decided not to comment on that. "Thank you again, Horace…"

As Harry walked back to his quarters, he considered his unusual friendship with Horace Slughorn.

Yes, he knew Horace was a 'collector', but he was pretty up front about it. Who cared if he was a bit of a hanger on… he was a lot of fun? Harry took comfort in that Horace always had his back. Like Filius and Bill, he never wavered in his support, unlike McGonagall.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Harry Potter's Quarters**

**October 13, 1996**

**Sunday, Mid-Day**

Harry watched his map and saw Draco moving toward his quarters. He boiled water and began steeping his favourite brand of Earl Grey – Harrods no 42. Harry always enjoyed forcing Draco to drink Muggle tea. Re-checking the map, Ginny was still with Tonks. Hermione was with Dawlish… Harry took his black with a bit of lemon juice, but Draco preferred cream.

Ginny was still with the Aurors, but at least Tonks was there with her. At least she was back in the castle now. She had likely been asked to retrace all their steps from yesterday while they were relaxing and wandering about in Hogsmeade. Where they went, who they met, etc. Harry spent time reviewing everyone's placement. The tea timer sounded, and Harry got up to remove the bags. Glancing at Draco's rapidly moving image, Harry put away the map, prepared the tea, and opened his door.

Within thirty seconds Draco entered Harry's room. "Harry." Draco accepted the tea from his friend. He looked tired. "Did you learn anything from Horace?"

"No. Only that he saw similar events twenty years ago." Harry handed Draco cream for his tea. "Reconsider moving out of the Slytherin dorms. We can get a suite like we did for OWLs."

Draco grimaced. "No. I won't abandon my friends. The older Greengrass sister is keeping her ear out for any threats."

Harry smirked. "I thought you liked the younger Greengrass. You sly dog…" Harry always enjoyed needling Draco. The feeling was mutual.

Draco flinched at Harry's barb. "Stop. Daphne is a friend, nothing more." Calming, he added, "Pansy didn't take our breakup very well and now she's set her sights on Theo. She hears things and talks to the other girls."

Harry realised Draco was rebuilding his network. But he wondered, "Does she know you dropped her for Daphne's younger sister?"

Draco looked at Harry like he was insane. "Why on earth would I tell her that? No, she thinks it's because I rejected the Dark Lord, and her family didn't." Harry wondered how Draco would have pulled off last Valentine's day… But there were more pressing concerns now.

"Is it safe, Draco? Are you safe?"

After a momentary pause, Draco nodded. "The most dangerous elements in Slytherin House came from the 'Inquisitors' that you took out of play last year." He sipped his tea a moment, then continued. "You know they were broken out of Azkaban, don't you?"

Harry set his own tea down. "I'm looking forward to dealing with them personally." There was no warmth to be found in his statement.

It was times like these that Draco realised he had made the right choice in aligning with the House of Black. More accurately, his mother made the right choice, and he was thankful for her insight. Draco occasionally wondered how much different his life would be now if he had approached Harry differently. If he had met him before Ronald Weasley…

Harry was obviously concerned. "Draco… be careful. Do you know who was behind the attack?"

Draco thought it was obvious. "It can only be Theo Nott. No one else would have the knowledge to pull it off. He has a few minor followers and he's smart enough to create a plausible alibi. But I don't see anyone else in Slytherin House. Maybe someone in Ravenclaw…"

Harry wasn't convinced. "I don't know… He's always been so quiet. Crabbe and Goyle were Inquisitors… they're gone. Who else is left? In Slytherin?"

"I'm assuming you mean males in my year. Only Theo and Blaise Zabini. Rest assured, Blaise is no blood purist." Draco considered his next words carefully. "I'm pretty sure Nott's taken the Mark."

Harry shook his head. "I don't see it…"

Draco was still in his own thoughts. "He never wears short sleeves… even in the dorms. There are other… things as well. It's hard to describe, but once a person takes the Mark… they change a bit. It's subtle, but if you know what to look for…"

Harry had a sudden feeling of dread. "Tell me more…" If Theo had changed, Draco would know.

Draco looked more intense now. "He just seems, I don't know… malevolent. When 'You-Know-Who' returned, I saw it in my father and his affiliates. They became more sadistic… quicker to lose their temper. That Mark does something to people, and Theo is showing signs of having taken it. Others in the Dorm have noticed, too."

Harry was on board now. "And you are to be punished for getting away from all that… It makes sense." Resolving himself, Harry said, "We need to go to Dumbledore. We need to get Theo questioned under Veritaserum…"

Draco actually laughed, "Dumbledore won't do anything. He's not capable. He may be powerful, but no one is afraid of him, Harry. They all know he won't do what it takes to end this. I'll say this, though. Based on comments from other Slytherins, you're the Wizard most fear."

Harry started to disagree, but he knew it made sense. He was the one most likely to kill the followers. Dumbledore would only stun them and hope for repentance. Still, if Theo had taken the Mark, Dumbledore would have to at least expel him. Keeping a marked Death Eater in the school was too dangerous. Maybe he should just deal with the little shite personally.

At this point Ginny and Tonks joined walked in. Ginny looked like she had been crying again. Tonks looked concerned and angry.

Harry turned to Ginny, "Ginny, are you alright?" He so desperately wanted to hold her.

She looked angry and upset, "They kept asking me why I didn't get a teacher. They kept asking why I didn't just levitate he package. It's like I did everything wrong."

Tonks consoled her, "They're just being thorough. These are the same questions that will be asked if anyone is prosecuted. Under the circumstances, you did everything that could reasonably be done."

"I should have stunned her. The minute I knew someone was controlling her." She started to break down again. "She screamed and screamed… I've never heard anything like it. Horrible."

Harry grit his teeth. He cared about Luna… she was always so vulnerable. Someone... Theo… used that against her. He moved toward the door.

Tonks stepped in front of Harry. "Whoa there, where do you think you're going?"

Harry had to do something… "To pay Theo a little visit."

Tonks put her finger in his face and barked out, "Oi, porcupine! Keep it in your pants."

Harry took a step back and quickly glanced down at his robes…

He then looked back at Tonks. "What the hell? I'm not… why would you say that?"

Tonks looked a little embarrassed, "Sorry, force of habit. I've had years of dealing with boys… Metamorphmagus…" Collecting herself, she took a firm stance. "But hey, if it made you stop and listen..."

Harry realised he had his thorn wand out and every one was looking at him. Whenever he grew angry, he had his thorn wand… It was just always there.

Tonks didn't back down. "You need to calm down and control yourself before you do something stupid. Anything you do to Theodore Nott would constitute assault and likely get him off."

"I'm gonna rip his sleeve off and show everyone he's a Death Eater."

"Right. As of right now, there's nothing illegal about having a tattoo. All you'll succeed in doing is distracting the investigators." She continued, "Listen up pincushion, if you want to help Luna and you care about Ginny, you will stay put!"

Harry scowled. "So, what do you suggest, I just do nothing?" Harry pressed further, "Isn't that why we're sitting here fighting the same people in the same type of war twenty years after we won it the first time? Because people did nothing?"

Tonks started to get angry, but she knew that would blow up in her face. "Ginny, talk some sense into his stubborn ass."

Before Ginny could say anything, a familiar voice spoke up.

"Talk sense into who?" Everyone turned and saw Hermione. She was flanked by Ron and Neville.

Draco stood up and interrupted. "My apologies, I didn't know I was in the new Gryffindor Common Room." The sarcastic drawl was unmistakable. "I'll see you all at Dinner." He then made his way out of Harry's small quarters.

Hermione assessed the situation and noted Harry's barbed wand was out...

Hermione pressed, "Harry, you have to stay out of this. We don't know who…"

"Theo Nott!" Dimly, Harry remembered he had killed Theo's dad in the Ministry Battle. "Apparently, he's decided to pick up where his dad left off."

Ginny grabbed his hand. "Harry, not like this. You can't lose control now…"

Harry could feel the smooth dragon hide glove… He wished it weren't necessary.

Hermione added, "Wait a day, Harry. Talk to Professor Dumbledore tomorrow and share your concerns. If Theo is following in his father's footsteps, the Headmaster will have to expel him."

Another familiar voice chimed in. "Twenty-five points to Gryffindor for consoling a friend." Professor Flitwick was standing behind Neville. "And for preventing him from doing something he would deeply regret."

He said the last part in a conspiratorially amused way, but everyone knew the last part was aimed directly at Harry. The diminutive Charms Master had a charming way of getting his point across. Harry set his wand down on the table. Hermione reached for it.

Harry forcefully said, "Don't."

Hermione looked embarrassed, "I just wanted to set it further away…"

Harry shook his head. "Never touch that wand… it's poisonous."

Hermione looked back at it.

Harry sighed. "It's got a Basilisk Heartstring for a core… you'd get pricked by a thorn and then you'd get a really bad infection. Just leave it be." He put it in his oversized holster. "Sorry. I need to be more careful with it."

Professor Flitwick came into the room.

Harry called, "Dobby!"

Dobby showed up with tea and biscuits. "Dobby bees thinking Master Harry and friends need food."

Ron grabbed a biscuit. "You are a life saver, Dobby." The little elf smiled and Apparated out.

Ginny asked Professor Flitwick, "Professor, how is Luna?"

Flitwick smiled sadly, "They've sedated her and are bringing in curse breakers. Her father is understandably upset."

Harry wished he could do something… "Professor, make sure her dad knows her medical expenses will be covered. Whatever it takes, I'll pay for it." Considering for a moment that the Quibbler was the only news source that hadn't slandered him… He didn't want its objectivity questioned. "We could say it's from a subscriber of the Quibbler or something."

Tonks almost felt bad for snapping at him. "That's very kind, Harry."

Flitwick agreed. "You are a good friend."

Harry was becoming embarrassed by all the sappy looks he was now getting.

"Hermione… Ron… get the word out to watch out for Theo Nott. I don't want anyone else to get hurt. I'll be moving up the Defence Training."

Harry turned to Ginny. "This wasn't your fault; you are a great friend. Don't blame yourself, just use that… fire to get better. We have to get better… There's a war coming, and some people aren't able to protect themselves…"

Ginny squeezed his hand. "I love you, Harry."

"Love you too."

Tonks raised her eyebrows… "Alright, let's all drink tea and eat biscuits." The way Harry and Ginny were looking at each other… She was almost relieved he was covered in thorns right now. One less problem to worry about. Did that make her a bad person? Looking over, Tonks made eye contact with Ron and saw him struggling with the same thoughts.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Office**

**Oct 14, 1996**

**Monday, 7:30 AM**

Harry entered the Headmaster's office tentatively. He had sent word asking for a meeting and Dumbledore agreed to meet before Breakfast. He looked over at the Headmaster's desk and saw a very tired old man with a horribly disfigured hand. Harry didn't need to check it magically; he could see it was getting worse. He wondered how long it had been since Dumbledore had a good night's sleep.

"Good morning, Harry." Dumbledore smiled, but it was half-hearted. He didn't even offer Harry a lemon drop.

Harry wasn't sure how this would go. "Professor. Thank you for seeing me."

"What can I do for you, Harry?"

"I think I know who was behind the attack Saturday evening." How to progress without sounding crazy… "There's reason to believe Theo Nott has taken the Mark. Even if he hasn't, I have it on good authority that he… changed over the summer." Harry noted the lack of surprise.

"Well, I must say, I'm sorry you've been burdened with this rumour. I hope you've informed the Investigating Aurors of your concerns."

Harry imitated a fish for a moment. "Aren't you going to do something? I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe it… I actually thought it wasn't true until I heard… more."

Albus took a slow breath. He looked so tired. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy has been keeping you informed. I know what it's like to send someone you care about into a dangerous environment… That's another burden I'm sorry you've had to shoulder."

Harry angrily barked out, "I wouldn't do that!" Regaining a measure of control, he added, "I don't want him there… He _refuses_ to leave. Says he needs to protect his friends."

Dumbledore smiled sincerely, "It seems Mr. Malfoy is finally making the _**right**_ choices. That's a credit to _you_ , Harry." He seemed to be concentrating for a moment, "I still remember the Will reading… You continue to amaze me."

"I don't want your praise, Headmaster; I want your help. You have a Death Eater in the school. In _**your**_ school."

"What course of action would you have me take, Harry? The Aurors have been called in. Testimonies have been given. Alibis are under examination and are being thoroughly scrutinised. Where Mr. Nott is concerned, we have to trust the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to ascertain his guilt or innocence."

Harry was surprised that he _wasn't_ surprised. "So, you're doing nothing."

"I never said that. I'm just not conspiring to disrupt and undermine a legal investigation. You'll find there's a time in your life when you have to allow others to do their job and hope for the best possible outcome." He was using his grandfatherly voice.

"Like hell… Every time I've stepped back and hoped for the best possible outcome I get royally screwed over. Sometimes you have to do what needs to be done. Just find Nott, rip his sleeve off, and see if he has the Mark. That should be easy."

Dumbledore peered over his half-moon glasses. "Harry, having the Mark isn't illegal. And attacking a student just to get a glimpse of his forearm is not only assault, but it goes against our agreement." When Harry didn't say anything, Dumbledore sighed and proceeded. "You promised not to harm any students, even those who have wronged you in the past."

"Are you kidding me?" Harry couldn't believe this. "Wait, I also said my promise ended when the war came to Hogwarts. I'm thinking it's arrived."

Albus was standing firm on this. "An altercation in Hogsmeade does not mean the war is here. Please, I beseech you, be reasonable. We can't infringe on the basic rights of the students on the possibility one may be involved in a crime." He hastily added, "Let the Aurors do their job. If Mr. Nott is guilty, he will be held accountable."

Harry seethed and spat out, "How on earth can you lecture me on how to treat students? My time at this god forsaken school has been nothing but… You never seemed to care about **my** rights! Half of your staff turned the other way when I needed them… My god… You arrogant…"

Dumbledore actually looked miserable. "Harry…"

"No!" Harry exclaimed, "If you don't have the stomach to do what needs to be done, I'll do it."

Dumbledore stood up far faster than Harry would have expected.

"No, you will not!" The old man was gone. Standing behind his desk was Albus Dumbledore. The man who defeated Grindelwald and out duelled Voldemort. Even Fawkes seemed surprised.

Harry stared at him. The implied threat was clear, stay away from Theo or deal with the Headmaster. Bitterly, Harry knew he couldn't take the old man… at least not yet. He had the power, but not the skill. He was only now able to competently cast dual wanded. Well, if he couldn't take the man on magically, he could tear into him verbally…

"I see. You employee one miserable Death Eater, so you're willing to turn a blind eye to another. How many murderers do you maintain relations with?" For a fraction of a second, Harry saw something in Dumbledore's eye. There was something there… But what?

"Severus has my complete trust."

Harry barked out a mocking laugh and went for the throat. "Right. My mother would probably have said the same, right up until he sold her out to Voldemort. I'm rather certain Marlene McKinnon wouldn't have put _her_ trust in Snape. I think my Father was the only one who saw that vile Death Eater for what he was." He let that hang in the air before adding, "A murderer."

Harry noted that Dumbledore was silent. Intense. The old man appeared to actually be sizing him up…

Harry raised his emotional Occlumency and put on his best 'serial killer' face. "Don't worry, Dumbledore. I'll leave your second pet Death Eater alone. Hopefully the Aurors do their job." Harry turned around and stormed out. He had training with Filius to get to.

After Harry left, Albus sat down. The meeting hadn't gone at all as he had hoped. Any ground he had gained with the lad was wiped away. He had such high hopes for this year. In truth, he knew Harry wasn't ready to step into his shoes as the leader of the light, but he had hoped to put him on the correct path this year. This conversation made it clear how far he was from shaping Harry and regaining anything resembling trust.

The Horcrux was gone, but the scars it left were still there. Harry's mistreatment by the Dursleys. The failure of muggle teachers to nurture and provide safety when he was a small child… then the abuse he received here at Hogwarts. Add in the way the Ministry treated him, and it only got worse. The killing of Hedwig was the final straw… Harry was one of the most jaded children he had ever met. And Albus knew his own mistakes and failures were a large part of why young Harry was so bitter. He was watching Theodore closely through his own means… If Harry attacked the boy, it would upset a very delicate balance within the school and potentially drive other students into Tom's retinue.

Albus paused and looked at his hand. He had at most a year before the curse killed him. Six to eight months before his magic would begin to diminish and wither… Leaving only Harry Potter to stand against Tom. He had no choice but to train the lad… But Harry was so similar to his grandfather. So angry and vengeful. He could only hope the lad would follow the right path.

He had no choice really. The Elder wand had already shifted its loyalty and Harry's Peverell blood would make that shift permanent. As powerful as the Elder wand was, it was still just a wand. In many ways, it was no better than his original wand. Now that its loyalty had shifted, it was no better at all. Harry had been the master of the Elder wand since the battle at the Ministry but fortunately did not understand what that meant. Albus considered just setting it aside, but that would tip his hand. Tom would learn of its hidden past soon enough and come looking for it. If Tom ended up with a wand loyal to Harry, it would give the young man an edge.

But what to do about the stone? Albus knew he had made peace with his sister and had no more use for it. Would Harry become dependent on it? It never was wise to focus more on the dead than the living, as challenging as it sometimes was. Once Harry had all three Hallows, he would be the Master of Death… Whatever that meant. But was it a gift or a curse?

Albus rose from his desk and decided to ponder of these questions later. For now, breakfast called.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Oct 14, 1996**

**That Evening (dinner)**

Harry entered the Great Hall and looked around. He mostly ate in his quarters or in the kitchens… Naturally, half of the eyes were on him from the moment he walked in. He had considered using the Anonymous charm, but he had a reason he wanted to be seen. He slowly strode into the hall, noting that Dumbledore was watching him intently.

As he strode past the Slytherin table, he stopped and made eye contact with Theo Nott. With a moderate amount of effort, he forced his eyes to glow. He made sure to put every ounce of hatred and anger into his face. Harry raised two fingers to his eyes, then pointed to the Slytherin teen. The entire room grew silent. To his credit, Theo didn't look away. He held the gaze… But Harry could see he was struggling to maintain a calm veneer. Someone had been teaching him Occlumency. Hell, maybe he always had it.

Hopefully, Theo would get the message. 'I'm, watching you'. If not, then his next planned encounter would be more than clear. Harry was constantly watching the Map, looking for a time where Theo was alone.

Turning, he walked to the Gryffindor table and sat beside Ginny. She smiled and pulled on her glove. Taking his hand, she gave a reassuring squeeze.

Ginny whispered, "Merlin, Harry. I think you got your point across. I thought McGonagall was about to have a litter."

Harry chuckled. Ginny always could make him laugh. He glanced over and saw the reactions of the faculty. Dumbledore was watching him from the corner of his eye. Snape was glowering at him. McGonagall seemed to be looking all about, like she wasn't sure what to do. Professor Sprout seemed to be smiling into her soup and Professor Flitwick actually gave him a thumbs up.

Harry beamed back at his duelling instructor. The man had really put him through the paces this morning, but Harry had clearly turned a corner in dual wanded combat. He still had a way to go, but it was beginning to feel natural.

Harry looked over at Hermione and Ron. He then noticed Neville as well. Everyone was looking at him expectantly.

"What?"

Hermione huffed, "Harry, I asked how you were and if you've heard anything about Luna."

"Oh, I'm alright, just angry. We all know it was probably Theo Nott, but the Headmaster won't do anything about it. Sometimes, I really despise the old man." Seeing Hermione start, he cut her off. "No! He refuses to do the right thing and we all suffer. Hell, Snape fired a stunner at me in a hospital bed… But Theo can't be forced to so much as show his forearm."

Ron gave Harry an odd look. "You really don't think Theo's taken the Mark, do you?" Harry pursed his lips. "Come on, mate. Theo is like, the quietest snake in our year…"

Harry glared back, "Right, and Peter Pettigrew was a timid prankster. Rookwood was a reserved scholar in the Department of Mysteries. How they act means nothing."

Everyone was quiet until Neville spoke up, "If you say he's dangerous, I believe you, Harry."

Harry smiled at his quieter friend. "Thanks, Neville." He looked at the others around him, "In two to three weeks we'll start training. Let's say, November second. It's a Saturday and we can probably all meet up. I'm already working on a few ideas, but we need to get going."

Hermione grinned. "I though you wanted to wait until after the Holidays."

Harry looked down at his plate guiltily. "Maybe if I hadn't been so intent on waiting, Luna would be alright."

Ginny squeezed his hand, "No, Harry. You can't blame yourself for that."

The others all agreed, but Harry couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible.

Ron asked, "What'd you have in mind, mate?" Harry wondered if he ever stopped talking with his mouth full.

"Re-focus on situational awareness. Add in a bit of team fighting with an urban focus. Then we'll get into duelling and spell chains. Filius is helping me and I've asked Tonks to review my notes as well."

Ron looked incredibly pleased with the plan. "Nice!"

Harry added, "Make sure everyone looks over the material I sent last year. I don't want to spend too much time on review. I'll be using note quills to write up a few handwritten manuals and training guides. Nothing fancy, just down and dirty stuff."

Ginny was smiling at him. "This'll be great, Harry."

Ron asked, "Are you planning to teach that spell you used on You-Know-Who?" Judging by the sudden silence, a few other students were listening intently.

Harry really didn't want to tell him that the spells in the Alaric Grimoire were now both Family Magic and far beyond most Wizards and Witches. Outside of Dumbledore and select members of the staff, no one would have the reserves to cast that spell. He'd rather focus on methods everyone could use.

Harry gave his head a little shake, "No… It's kind of limiting and requires a lot of power. We'll be focusing on survival skills." Ron seemed disappointed, but he stayed positive. "That said, I think we should cover the Patronus Charm."

Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out a sickle. Harry focused on the coin and realized it was enchanted with some form of protean charm. Realising it was safe, he lifted it up and looked at it…

"Is it for communication?" He asked.

Hermione nodded. "It's a 'Leader' coin. Ron, Neville, and I also have one. I enchanted it for you over the summer. We use it to covertly convey meeting information. I'll show you how after dinner."

Harry looked it over and smiled. "Thanks. This'll make things easier."

The five of them had their first pleasant meal since Luna's attack. Harry knew he was needed. Especially with Dumbledore dropping the ball.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Oct 30, 1996**

**Thursday**

Harry and Filius withdrew from the Pensieve. They had just finished reviewing and critiquing Harry's last training session. Dual wanded fighting was now beginning to feel natural. Harry noted that he still was frequently out of synch between the wands and occasionally off balance as well, but he could work on that.

"Very good, Harry. Your progress is ahead of schedule. I'd say you are almost as effective as you were with a single wand. You still seem to overextend and fall out of rhythm from time to time, but every session shows improvement."

Harry wondered, "So, if I had been using Dual wands in the Ministry last year, how would I have done? At my current skill level."

Flitwick paused and considered the question at great lengths. The two of them still review that memory from time to time. Just to level set.

"It's never that simple, Harry. You did well in that battle, but you were smart enough to use hit and run tactics. You set traps and stayed disillusioned… And you were a bit lucky as well." Filius paused again, then refocused. "I think you would have held your own against everyone but Bellatrix. She would have picked up on your occasional over-extensions and reduced balance. You most likely would have fallen before you were able to employ your illusions. You held your own with her for longer than most would have thought possible. In the end, you survived the encounter because you were able to strategically distract and trick her. You likely wouldn't have gotten the chance at your current level."

Harry tried not to show it, but that was not what he wanted to hear. There was a long moment of silence.

"Harry, you can't beat everyone face to face. You understood that in the Ministry and used guerrilla tactics. Once you are trained up in dual wanded combat, you will be a match for Grindelwald himself. You just need to keep driving forward. You took one step backward when you committed to changing your fighting style, but it will eventually net you three steps forward. It will just take time."

Harry saw the optimistic instructor in front of him smiling. Filius was one of the most reassuring and kind people he had ever met. It's a wonder he wasn't in Hufflepuff. Harry gave him a thankful nod.

"Thank you, sir. I sometimes wonder if I have time to get there. So much is happening…"

Filius sat back and rubbed his chin. "Time is the most valuable commodity we have, Harry. I am training you faster than I've ever trained anyone before. Albus will complete it. If we had three or four years, I may take a different approach, but we don't. You've given up so many things you once enjoyed… All your free time is focused on improving yourself and preparing to face down your enemies. I can't say I'm happy about that, but it's necessary. Time."

"So, you think I'll be ready for Dumbledore after the Yule Break?"

Filius smiled and shook his head. "No. At the rate you're progressing, you'll be ready before the Break. But there is more to consider here. I think I'll add a few extra bits to your training in December. Just in case…"

Harry waited for Filius to finish his thought. The small man was truly brilliant.

"Before I hand you over to the headmaster, I'd like to start having you switch hands with your wands from time to time to better understand their individual 'personalities'. Then, we'll begin mixing dual wanded with single wanded combat… in case you're ever in a position where you only have one wand. We can't be too careful."

"Thank you. I know you've spent a great deal of time with me… I hope it hasn't affected your other classes."

Filius shrugged, "I've been using the same curriculum for a decade, at least with the first three years. This is time well spent. It's not every day one gets to teach a prodigy. Your mother was like you with charms. It was always a joy to teach her." He smiled at Harry and clasped his hands together. "You are so like her, but where she was an artist, you are a duellist. A warrior artist, I suppose. You would have done very well in Mahoutokoro* or even Durmstrang. But I'm glad you came here."

"Thank you, sir." Harry then shifted the subject, "Have you heard anything about Luna?"

"Yes, Harry. She is doing better and there is a particularly good possibility she will make a full recovery. She is responding well to the treatments."

Harry noted Filius seemed only mildly enthused. "What does that mean?"

Filius continued to look disturbed. "She is sleeping on her own and… She's no longer screaming. The curse she was exposed to was finally removed, but the remnants are still affecting her. It's extremely fortunate her contact with the cursed object was so brief. Your assistance was greatly appreciated. Her treatment has been quite expensive."

Filius continued. "Likely, she will have to repeat fifth year, but she may be back before the end of the year."

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Room of Requirement**

**November 2, 1996**

**Saturday**

Harry was standing beside Hermione. He looked over the two dozen or so students and saw they were just as apprehensive about being here as he was. A few had done him dirty in the past and they looked the most nervous. Harry knew Hermione had vetted the group and these were students that had no interest in joining or allying with the followers of Voldemort and Death Eater wannabes. They all looked nervous.

Harry decided to just get it over with. "Alright, you're all here to learn how to survive. Let's get the shite you may have heard about me out of the way. I'm not crazy or some kind of murdering psychopath. I did not kill Dolores Umbridge last year and I am currently Professor Flitwick's apprentice. Yes, others are training me. No, I am not technically a student of Hogwarts, but I am living on site while I'm being trained. What other questions do you have?"

Dean Thomas asked, "Did you really kill a Basilisk in your second year?"

Harry flinched. "Wow. Second year… Yes. But Fawkes helped. If not for the Phoenix, I'd be dead."

Katie asked, "Did you really fight You-Know-Who in the Ministry after trouncing his inner circle?"

Harry half expected this question, "Yeah, but it wasn't all face to face against the Death Eaters. And Voldemort had just finished fighting Dumbledore, so I caught him off guard. Honestly, Dumbledore would have beaten him if a Death Eater hadn't interfered." Harry decided to dangle a carrot. "I beat the Death Eaters using hit and run tactics, there were just too many of them to face directly. I'll be teaching this group those same tactics." He smiled at Katie. She was someone he trusted.

Some blonde Hufflepuff asked, "How do we know you'll actually teach us? You act like you hate everyone." The boy seemed irritated to just be here. Harry noted Lavender shot him a withering look. Apparently, the Divination club looked out for each other.

Harry tried not to sneer. "I don't like a lot of you. Frankly, most of you treated me like shite two years ago. But that doesn't mean I want some Death Eater to kill you. We may never be friends, but I'll train you to survive." Seeing the mixed responses, he added, "Seriously people, there's a war coming. You have to get ready and from what I'm hearing, the Slytherins are kicking your arses in Defence. You don't have to like me any more than I have to like you, but if I'm teaching you, you better not waste my time." He said the last part while staring at the Hufflepuff who seemed to be challenging him.

Seeing Ron and Neville's faces he realised he may have said too much. Ginny's look of trepidation made it clear he went too far.

Hermione came to his rescue, "Harry's here to teach us and we're here to learn. None of the rest matters." She turned back to Harry; she'd bought him a little time.

Harry dropped the angst. "I'll be teaching you how to survive. How to work in small teams and how to fight more effectively. We will be duelling and using spell chains. I'd prefer you to cast silently, but if you have to vocalise a spell, that's OK. We can work on casting silently or with whispers, but I don't want anyone out there under prepared."

Colin held up his hand. "Colin?" As annoying as Colin was, Harry really liked the kid. Loyal to a fault.

Colin cheerfully asked, "What's a spell chain?"

It took all of Harry's willpower not to slap his forehead.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**November 10, 1996**

**Sunday**

Harry was working on his Ancient Runes assignment in his quarters. It was especially challenging, and he thought Professor Babbling gave it to him to see if he could decipher it. It appeared to be missing certain elements and the clusters made no sense. It was either the work of a pioneer who took the study in an odd new direction, or some kind of failed experiment.

Harry looked up from the assignment when he heard a knock on his door. It couldn't be Ginny; she was in class. In fact, all his friends were. He pulled out the Marauder's Map and took a quick look… Minerva McGonagall. She must be between classes. As he rose to open the door, he wondered what the hell she wanted.

Opening the door, he saw he looked straight into her tightly wound face and considered how it matched her tightly wound hair bun. She seemed to be forcing a polite smile and her hands were clasped loosely together. She was nervous. Part of him wanted to just slam the door in her face, but he had promised to be respectful.

"Professor. Can I help you?" He tried to keep his tone neutral.

"I thought I would come by and offer up my time." She paused a moment and added, "Are you planning on leaving me in the hallway?"

Etiquette dictated Harry inviting her in and offering her a drink, but he really didn't want to. Still, he couldn't just leave her out in the Hallway. Well, he could, but it wouldn't be worth it.

"Please come in." The pause before the invitation had to be telling.

After a short pause where she was forced to just stand there and wait, she asked, "Perhaps some tea?" She was clearly not used to be snubbed.

Harry decided to just lance the boil. "Professor, if I offer you tea, then I'm saying I want to spend time with you. We both know that's not the case. Why are you here?" Better to get this out of the way once and for all.

She looked both offended and irritated. "Mr. Potter, I have invited you to spend time with me for weeks now and you have yet to even respond. I know the last few years have been difficult, but I had hoped we could put that behind us and start anew."

Harry realized this is an opportunity he couldn't pass up. "Dobby!"

Within three seconds, the house elf appeared looking eager and joyous. Huge eyes shining and ears twitching. Could a house elf have a hyperactive condition?

"Master Harry calls Dobby?" Harry smiled at his small friend.

Harry asked, "Hi, Dobby. Can you bring us tea and biscuits?" Harry knew the elf would be gone for a good five minutes or so. He really didn't want to spend it with the old witch.

Harry turned to McGonagall, "Please, sit down and make yourself comfortable. I need to freshen up."

Harry then turned and went into his bedroom. First, he used the adjoining bathroom. He then washed his face and took his time putting himself together. Checking his look in the mirror, he was far too casual and approachable. He put on a Blazer and a tie, just to keep things formal. He gave his sleeping Familiar a gentle stroke and turned to the door. When he finally came out of his bedroom, tea had already been served.

Harry came over and poured himself a cup of tea and squeezed a lemon wedge into it. He noted Professor McGonagall seemed to like hers the same way. Harry found that irritating and almost added milk just to be different… but the lemon had already been squeezed.

Harry sat back and sipped his tea while he noted McGonagall was sitting straight as an arrow. She seemed to think she was at a Cotillion. Andromeda was the same way, but Harry refused to conform.

"Professor, you want to know why I've declined your invitations. I really don't know where to start. Perhaps it would help if you could tell me why you want to meet at all?"

Harry noted she seemed to have been expecting this. That meant she'd have a nice and rehearsed little speech prepared. She had many of Andromeda and Hermione's traits, but on her it just annoyed him.

"I was awfully close to both of your parents. Your father was my godchild, and his family was extremely close to me. Both his mother Euphemia and his adopted mother Dorea. I knew both Fleamont and Charlus as well. Your mother was like a daughter to me. She was a brilliant witch and she brought joy to all around her. I would like to share stories and memories with you of your family. You deserve to know who they were and what they were like."

Harry sat his tea down. "I've recovered quite a few memories and I feel I know them. I have to wonder; did they like you? I only ask because you've been such a horrible teacher and much of your animosity toward me seems personal."

McGonagall seemed a bit surprised, but more embarrassed. She looked like she was formulating a response, so Harry decided not to give her the chance.

Harry continued. "I haven't forgotten the things you said about my father when I turned to you for help two years ago. You remember... when my name came out of the cup? Then all the times you seemed to want me to be expelled… Did you know I slept in a cupboard under the stairs for ten years? You would if you had ever bothered to check on me. Even when I was eleven, you let Hagrid introduce me to the Wizarding World. He's a nice enough fellow, but hardly best qualified. He didn't even give me the introductory books. If you loved my parents and grandparents so much, why didn't you come?"

To her credit, she seemed genuinely shaken. "I can't excuse my mistakes, but I'd like to correct them. I favoured your father far more than I should have and perhaps I've tried too hard to stay neutral. James went too far pranking a few students in particular and drove them to a path of misery and pain. I've always felt I should have stepped in… I could have prevented it. I vowed never to favour the members of my own house over the others."

"You mean Snape." Harry knew he said the Potion masters name with unconcealed revulsion.

She looked resolute. "Yes. Had I prevented your father from continuously pranking the Slytherin students of his year, perhaps _Professor_ Snape would have resisted the call of You-Know-Who."

"Well, first of all, he's not _**my**_ Professor, so I'll just call him Snape. Did you know the Marauders used to work hard to keep their counterparts in Slytherin off balance so they wouldn't attack Muggle Born students? They kept a log of their exploits and Severus Snape was one bad apple from the day he arrived. He only acted humane when he was around my mother. But even that didn't last. He and his friends ambushed and cursed at least a dozen Muggle-Born students, and I'm not talking jinxes here."

Minerva looked somewhat sceptical. "Do you have any examples you can share?" Her face was pinched, and Harry wanted to slap her.

"Sure… Do you recall Todd Jones? Betty DeAngelo? Piper Smith? There were others, but I'd have to go back through the journal. Snape was one of the ones who cursed them, he actually bragged about it. But no one did anything. When questioned, he always had an alibi. His wand was always cleared…"

McGonagall remembered those students. The curses used on them left scars that couldn't be fully healed. One in particular was extremely vicious and caused immense pain. All were disfigured in some way.

"I… How do you know James wasn't mistaken?" She was getting defensive. If this was true, then she had felt guilt for years when she should have felt pride.

"Professor, my father and his friends were quite thorough. My mother connected most of the dots and that was the catalyst that led to her ending her friendship with Snape. It was only when he called her a Mudblood that she was able to step back and review the facts rationally."

McGonagall looked inquisitively at him. "You seem to know a great deal…"

Harry shrugged, "Both of my parents kept journals and I've read them cover to cover. Did you know my mother was almost certain Snape was behind what happened to Marlene McKinnon and her family? She thought it might have been Regulus but accepted that it was probably Snape. It broke her heart and she cried for a week. Wasn't Marlene one of your lions, too?" Harry had read their journals, but most of this came from talking to their incarnations.

McGonagall looked half broken. "Marlene was… That was a terrible tragedy."

Harry shook his head. "My father and his friends understood that you and the faculty weren't doing enough, and they stepped in. Amazing how some things never change."

McGonagall recoiled. "Whatever do you mean?" That comment was like a slap in the face.

"Well, you know Snape bullies Gryffindor students and favours Slytherin House. You know this and you do nothing. You just stay out of it… Did you know Snape was Neville's Bogart? He was forced to attend a class run by Snape - the 'thing' he fears most. Day after day, year after year… And you did nothing. I don't recall ever hearing that my adult father ever bullied, terrorised, or belittled children. Please, tell me you have an excuse for looking the other way to that."

McGonagall looked down slightly but said nothing.

Harry decided to take one more swing, "Then we get to Umbridge and the Blood Quills. I highly doubt you knew anything about those detentions… But shouldn't you have known? Your lions must have believed you incapable and unwilling to help. They didn't even bother coming to you."

McGonagall sat quietly. Harry had been wanting to say this to her for so long. He realised this was exactly the way Sirius would have eviscerated her. She'd been a disappointment from day one and now he finally got to rub it in her face. Wait… he had almost forgotten… Harry waited until she made eye contact.

In an exceptionally low voice, Harry whispered, "You're a miserable failure. You've failed me, my Father, my Mother, my Grandparents, and Gryffindor House. You should be _**ashamed**_."

McGonagall hadn't moved. Harry stood up.

"See yourself out." He then walked into his bedroom and gently closed the door.

Harry never heard Minerva McGonagall as she began sobbing.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Office**

**November 18, 1996**

Harry had been summoned from his Advanced Potions class to the Headmasters office and he couldn't help but wonder what was happening. He was considering an option to take his NEWT in Potions at the end of the year and Horace was allowing him to merge sixth- and seventh-year Potions, being called out in the middle of class resulted in his abandoning a rather delicate brew.

As he entered the Headmaster's chambers, he noted Filius and Tonks were there as well. The mood was grim, and Harry didn't have a clue what this was about. He wished he had his Familiar with him, she always gave good advice. But she was currently moulting and wanted to be left alone.

Dumbledore gestured for Harry to come forward, "Harry, please join us." There was no twinkle in his eyes. Harry mentally began running through the different possible reasons for this meeting. It had been over a week since he put McGonagall in her place… His training was progressing wonderfully… The Dursleys were still in Boston… The DA was coming along better than expected… Honestly, it had been a noticeably quiet month. It could only be… No!

"Luna! Is she alright?" It just burst out of his mouth.

Filius reassured him, "Luna is fine, Harry. She's continuing to respond well to the treatment."

Tonks shook her head, "Harry, the investigation is ending. I'm sorry, but there just isn't enough evidence…" Harry interrupted her.

"Bullshite! There's plenty of evidence, it's written on Theo Nott's forearm." Looking about, he noted no one was happy and Dumbledore in particular seemed depressed. "Are you kidding me? Just look at his arm."

Tonks snapped back, "You already know we can't do that. We may strongly suspect he was involved, but there's no evidence to prove it."

Dumbledore solemnly beckoned for Harry to sit down. "Harry, I must insist that you avoid Mr. Nott. There can be no retribution and you need to trust that the faculty of Hogwarts has the situation under control."

Harry stepped forward but didn't take a seat. "Like I trusted you with the Tri-Wizard Tournament? Or the Heir of Slytherin in my second year? Or maybe like I trusted you to handle Quirrell or Umbridge… well, that's a mixed bag…" Best not to focus on Umbridge.

"Harry…" Dumbledore was still trying to calm him. No one else was talking.

"Expel him. You can do it, you're the Headmaster. We all know he's a marked Death Eater and on some kind of mission… Kick him out."

"No, Harry. I cannot simply expel Mr. Nott without just cause."

"Just cause… How about the use of Imperious…? The attempted Murder of Draco and the horrible cursing of Luna. Seriously, what kind of a monster would target someone like Luna?"

Dumbledore repeated, "Your concern for Miss Lovegood is admirable, but you may not approach or exact retribution on Theodore Nott, is that clear? If you do so, you will be expelled, and your training here will end. I cannot have vigilante justice at Hogwarts."

Harry could tell the Old Man meant it. He would toss Harry out… to protect a junior Death Eater.

Harry couldn't just let this go. "Vigilante justice is still justice." Harry then had a realization. "Wait a minute, isn't your Order of the Phoenix a Vigilante group? Set up to do what the Ministry can't or won't do? How do you not see the parallels? You know Theo's guilty and you continue to protect him. I'd like to know why. Why are you so stubborn when it comes to protecting all the bad elements at Hogwarts?"

Dumbledore seemed to soften somewhat. "Everyone deserves an opportunity to atone…"

Harry yelled, "You didn't take that approach with Sirius! You threw him out with yesterdays garbage. What about Snape? My parents are dead because of that man. You have a bad habit of condemning the innocent to protect the guilty! Draco tells me the Slytherin students laugh at you. They _fear_ me and they _laugh_ at you."

Dumbledore had be patiently waiting for Harry to finish his rant. His eyes were no longer kind or twinkling. They were firm and determined. His posture was unyielding.

"I'm sorry Harry, but I'll have to ask for your wands…"

Harry sneered, "Hell no. You want my wands; you'll have to pry them from my cold, dead hands. I will never surrender them to a pacifistic old fool like you. You had fourteen years to prepare for Voldemort's return, but you didn't. You let his inner circle avoid prosecution because you didn't have the stomach to do what needed to be done. Even with Sirius, you were too meek to even talk to him…"

No one sad a word. Harry knew he had no real leverage. He still needed the training… But he'd have his say. Dumbledore was still standing there with that authorative pompous look on his face. His hand stretched out.

Harry gave an insincere smile. "It's guilt, isn't it. You did something long ago and you never were held accountable… If you could reform, then so can everyone else. That's what you're thinking." Harry noted Dumbledore's suddenly freezing up. It was subtle, but Remus and Tonks had told him how to spot subtle 'tells'.

He continued, "Yes… that's it. Well, here's a news flash for you Headmaster: Not everyone regrets their actions, no matter how vile. Some people are unredeemable."

Albus Dumbledore held out his hand even further, "Your wands." His voice was firm, and his eyes were cold.

Harry decided he'd fight the old man if he had to, but he was never handing over his wands. If Dumbledore tried to take his wands, he'd fight him with everything he had. Who knows, Filius and Tonks might even back him.

Harry grit his teeth and spoke in a low and venomous tone. "The last time I gave you my wand, it nearly got me killed… Tonks too. Just because _you're_ stupid enough to repeat the same mistake, doesn't mean I am." Then he smiled maliciously, "Besides, you can't legally ask this of me. I have my OWLs, my NEWTs, and my wand license. You are no longer my magical guardian and I haven't broken any rules that would give you the authority."

Dumbledore was still holding out his hand. "I'll ask one more time. You're wands."

Harry noted the shocked looks on the faces around him. "Seriously, Dumbledore… You need to stop surrounding yourself with yes men. Filius and Tonks probably don't approve of how I've talked to you, but I bet they agree with every single statement I've made."

Tonks cleared her throat awkwardly, "He's got you there Albus. You're protecting Theo even though we all know he probably committed the crime... We just can't prove it; but you're willing to take Harry's wands because you're afraid he _might_ do something." She suddenly seemed surprised. "That's what you did to Sirius… Are the people who follow you treated worse than the people you fight?" Tonks finally saw the parallels.

Filius stood up. "If Harry leaves Hogwarts, I leave with him. I know of a few other battle wizards I can hire to train him. You may be the best option Albus, but you're not the only option."

Albus looked at both Filius and Tonks, "Please, see reason…"

Tonks lashed out at him, "Oh, that's rich. You telling us to see reason when you never listen to anyone but yourself." She turned to Harry. "Keep your wands, Harry. Albus has no legal way to force you to give them up. If he tries, I'll arrest him on the spot. Right now, Harry, you have more political clout than anyone else in this room."

Albus slowly lowered his hand. "Very well. But if you seek out retribution, I will know it and you will be expelled."

Harry guffawed, "Do you even hear yourself? You are willing to expel me if you even suspect I've done something. But with Theo… Yes, we know he did it, but we need hard evidence." Harry became profoundly serious, "I'll leave him be, but if he harms anyone else… I will make sure **you** are held personally accountable." He then turned and walkd toward the door. before he left he looked back.

"To be clear, Headmaster. The day Im no longer welcome at Hogwarts is the day you and you vigilante group are no longer welcome at Grimmauld place." Harry paused, looking for a reaction. Tonks looked somewhat surprised and Filius seemed curious, but Dumbledore didn't even flinch... The man had nerves of steel. Harry shook his head and stormed out.

As Harry descended the stairs, he thought about his next move. Theo was absolutely going to pay for what he did. Unfortunately, Harry knew he'd have to be sneaky about it. It was time for him to let loose his inner marauder.

He knew just where to go for advice...

— **DoD—**

***Mahoutokoro is the Wizarding School in Japan. Personally, I think Harry would flunk out in a month. They don't tolerate rule breakers.**

**Up next, Theodore Nott has some rough times.**

**I also plan to speed up Harry's training. In two to three more chapters, the Sixth year will end, and I will finally get to write a bit of combat again. Thank you for your patience, this took much longer to write than expected. it was important to reset the relationship Harry had with Dumbledore and to put McGonagall in her place. Why? Because this keeps the story aligned with Casting Shadows and shows he hasn't really _forgiven_ anyone. He's just keeping his animosity to himself while he get training.**

**Harry is not completely right or wrong in what he's said to Dumbledore and McGonagall. Few things in life are truly black and white. He's just fed up with Dumbledore's lack of aggressiveness. Everything he said makes sense and I especially enjoyed writing the McGonagall piece. She is the one canon character I could never really understand. Many People think she is so good, but she really failed her House in many ways. Especially Harry. And I'm talking Canon here, not just AU Dance of Death.**

**Why is Dumbledore so concerned about Harry? He knows Harry already has the loyalty of the Elder Wand and the Cloak. Harry will become the Master of Death if he's given the Resurrection Stone. Albus is afraid of what that means and is becoming indecisive in his final days. Harry could become vengeful and a new Dark Lord. No one really knows what being the Master of Death means and whether or not it can drive a person to insanity.  
**

**Having Tonks and Filius turn on him was a painful wake up call. He knows he's dying, and his confidence is beginning to falter. Part of his is probably wondering if he should just chuck the stone into the ocean.**

** Story Recommendation :  **

**A great story and the best action oriented fiction Im reading now, 'A Simple Act of Vengance', by Frickles. The story is amazing and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes action. simply amazing.**


	43. Chapter 43

**In the last chapter, Luna was cursed, and all signs pointed to Theo Nott. Harry was convinced to stand down and let the Aurors do their work. While waiting, he re-started the Defence club and rebuffed McGonagall's attempts at reconciliation, leaving the elderly witch in tears. When the Aurors failed to gather enough evidence to convict Theo, Harry and Dumbledore had a heated disagreement on how to handle the situation. Harry told Dumbledore what he thought of the man and it wasn't very flattering. To Dumbledore's amazement, both Tonks and Filius Flitwick backed Harry. As Harry left, he vowed to take care of Theodore Nott himself.**

**Quick note: Dumbledore is not ignoring the situation with Theo Nott. He just isn't sharing all of his means of surveillance with Harry. In his mind, he has the situation well in control and Harry will just get in the way. Remember that after the first time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, Hagrid was blamed but Dumbledore suspected Tom Riddle. Dumbledore was able to monitor Tom to a degree that even that brilliant young Wizard was unable to step out of line. That was before he had the resources of a Headmaster. Why doesn't he share this with Harry? He may need to watch Harry one day.**

**This is where we pick up.**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.**

**FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories.**

— **DoD—**

**Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.**

— **DoD—**

**chapter 43 Proper Planning**

**Hogwarts**

**Room of Requirement**

**November 30, 1996**

Theo Nott was tired and wary. He knew he was under scrutiny and the Headmaster always seemed to be watching him. Additionally, the paintings all paid attention to him when he entered a room, and the ghosts of the castle would frequently follow him about. Professor Snape warned him to be careful and brutally shamed him for what he called 'a poorly thought out plan' with the cursed necklace. By using one of Potter's friends, he'd put his own life at risk. Harry Potter…

How could anyone think Harry Potter was anything but a new Dark Lord? Potter's less than subtle threat in the great hall was enough to keep Theo up at night with worry. This is the boy who fought and killed Death Eaters by the dozen. If reports were true, he even managed to drive off the Dark Lord at the battle in the Ministry. Whether or not it was all true, Bellatrix certainly seemed infatuated with him.

As Professor Snape pointed out, killing Draco was a secondary objective. He only pursued it in hopes of garnering favour among the Dark Lord's inner circle. The _primary_ goal was now his _only_ goal. To that end, he was frequently out alone, trying not to be noticed. The Dark Lord had told him about the wondrous room on the seventh floor, and what an amazing room it was. If he had time, he would investigate all the marvellous gifts the room bestowed. But time was something he did not have. He had found the Vanishing Cabinet in the secret room on the seventh floor, but it was damaged.

Theo knew he was no charms master or enchanter, so this was a task he was in danger of failing. Professor Snape had given him access to the restricted section of the Library for research and that was his only flicker of hope. Given how little time he was actually studying his school curriculum, Theo was barely passing his sixth-year courses. However, the time spent on his task was beginning to pay off. He was steadily learning to repair damaged enchantments; it was just taking longer than he had expected.

Unfortunately, Potter and his friends had also begun using the secret room on the seventh floor. With this latest development, Theo was constantly afraid of getting caught. If Crabbe and Goyle were still in school, they could stand lookout and cover for him. He didn't trust Zabini, Parkinson or the Ice Queen with the task. They would be too inquisitive and would probably tell him to shove off. He considered Millie, but he didn't want her to get dragged into this mess. She was… a friend.

After pulling an 'all-nighter', Theo checked the time. Six in the morning… He cursed himself for losing track of time and now had to rush back to his dorm. He gathered his things and quietly exited the room of requirement. He had his pass from Professor Snape, so he'd be fine if he were stopped by a Professor. But he still wanted to be back in the common room before students began moving about. Otherwise, he might tip someone off. Someone like Potter. Or even more likely, Malfoy. Growing nervous, Theo broke into a light jog and headed for the stairs. Fortunately, one of the staircases was there waiting for him. Without breaking stride, he began his descent…

Suddenly, he was overcome with vertigo as he realised he'd missed the top step. His shock turned to fear as he fell face forward and impacted the edge of the stone staircase. He felt teeth break as he began his painful tumbling descent down the stone staircase. After the second impact, he lost consciousness. When he finally came to, he was at the landing on the fifth floor and he was staring up at the ceiling. He tried to speak but could only groan. All the wind had been knocked out of him and he was struggling to breath.

Theo painfully turned his head and saw his arm was broken and a bone was protruding. His legs were likely in a similar condition. How on earth had he missed that first step? He was sure he hit it… Suddenly, the stairs began moving… he was only half on the landing and his lower body was still on the stairs.

NO! He felt his torso slide off the stairs as they moved, and his upper body was pulled from the landing by the weight of his hips and legs. He was now falling through the air toward certain death. He tried to scream, but he was still unable to draw a breath. Dimly he accepted that this is how the house of Nott would end. His free fall only lasted a few seconds, then he felt himself slowing…

He then remembered that the staircase area was enchanted to prevent any student from falling to their death. He landed with a mild thud rather than a 'splat'. Unfortunately, with his broken bones, even a mild impact was enough to render him unconscious.

Far above, on the sixth floor, Harry Potter watched Theo Nott tumble off the stairs while under his invisibility cloak...

— **DoD—**

**Harry's Dreamscape**

**December 1, 1996**

Harry was sitting peacefully with his family in his dreamscape. Rose had met him in the forest as he entered the depths of his own mind. Just as she had so many times before. As was often the case, she gave him the status on his magic. He was at full strength and 'they' had boosted his divinatory abilities to their peak potential. 'They' being Rose and Oakheart. She promised he would meet Oakheart after the ritual of thorns had ended, but for now he was too close to the Unseelie Wyld side of his magic to contact Oakheart.

Now he was enjoying time with parents. He shared the recent prank he had played on Theo and both parents seemed to approve. Especially his father who, in the past, had chastised him for failing to use his Illusionist side more frequently. Harry had essentially placed an illusion on the top few steps of the staircase Theo fell down, giving them the appearance of an additional six inches or so of length on the first stair step. This caused the rapidly moving Theo to miss the first step and take quite a tumble to the fourth floor.

Harry was somewhat shocked that his parents were accepting of his attacking another student, but these weren't really his parents. They were the incarnation of his noticeably young parents who had watched many of their friends perish at the hands of young Death Eaters like Theo. They simply did not see Theo as a child. Ironically, Harry knew they were very protective of him. His dream stunt with Bellatrix earned him all kinds of warnings and reprimands. It's wasn't like he tried to ride along in the mind of a mad woman. Thank god they were past that.

After reviewing the memory for the third time, James seemed satisfied. "Very nice. You created an illusion giving the appearance that the steps extended six inches or so… Just enough to throw him off, without making it obvious enough for the paintings or any house elves to notice. Probably."

Harry knew this was high praise from a Marauder. "Dumbledore has all the resources in Hogwarts watching Theo. I only knew this because Dobby had warned me. Today I caught a break and was able to catch him while running. I know where he's going, I just don't know why."

Lily seemed torn between irritation with how easily her son broke the rules and pride in his ingenuity. In the end, pride won out.

Lily focused on the results. "Those injuries should keep him out of your hair for a week or so." She looked critically at Harry for a moment, "Did you know the staircases have a charm to prevent anyone from falling to their death?"

Harry sheepishly answered, "No, and I was a little relieved he didn't die. There would have been too many questions. Theo is a marked Death Eater, and his time will come, but I can't afford to go on the run. Assuming I may have been caught. Which is kind of doubtful."

James shook his head. "Never underestimate Albus Dumbledore, Harry. The old man has got more tricks than a Muggle stage magician." He then asked, "The boy is scared and exhausted, use that against him. Be sneaky and use minor illusions, the kind of thing no one will notice, let alone a sleep deprived teenager. Everyone will assume he's making mistakes because he's not sleeping well enough."

Harry focused a moment, "I have a few ideas along those lines…"

James grinned, "So, what do you have planned next?"

Harry sat back into the chair. "Well, this is where I'll need mums help…"

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Chambers**

**December 18, 1996**

Albus emerged from the Pensieve with Filius and was hugely impressed. The two of them had just reviewed Harry's latest training session. In a straight up duel, Harry Potter could match or flat out beat almost anyone. The Charms Master had impressively transformed Harry Potter into a dual wanded fighter in under four months. Adding a second wand to Harry's combat style had made a significant impact on the teenager's already dangerous skill set.

Harry no longer appeared to be imitating the movements of his parents. He had found his own style of fighting, and was nothing short of brilliant. His speed and instinctive methods were a sight to behold. Albus reflected that he fought very much like Gellert… But Gellert was nowhere near this lethal at sixteen years old.

Filius snapped him out of his contemplation, "He's ready, Albus. In truth, he was ready two weeks ago, but I wanted to make sure he could still fight 'single wanded' should the need present itself."

Albus was less sure. "I'm not completely convinced, Filius. He needs to learn how to fight in a team. How to… I'm sorry, it's just been so little time. Is there nothing else you can teach him?"

"At this point, all I would be doing is reinforcing what he's already learned. He's outgrown me, Albus. He's a match for any Death Eater now, even Bellatrix. Did you see how fast he casts with two wands? That's unheard of." Thinking a moment, he added, "He's picking up teamwork in his instructions to the Defence group which Miss Granger and Mr. Diggory started. He's appears to be using Charlus' old tactics."

Filius waited a good thirty seconds for a response, but Albus seemed lost in thought and said nothing.

"Albus, did you see his speed? And the way he begins reacting to attacks before they happen? In three months, he'll be a match for you or You–Know-Who. Three months, Albus." Filius waited, but Albus was still deep in thought. "What's the problem?"

Albus adjusted his glassed, "I'm sorry old friend, I was lost in my own thoughts. My concern is whether or not I want to make Harry Potter even more dangerous than he presently is. At sixteen years old, he is one of the most dangerous wizards alive."

Filius didn't even try to suppress his groan. "Here we go again." Albus was shocked to be addressed so disrespectfully. Shocked and offended.

"What do you mean by that comment, Filius?" Having both Filius and Nymphadora refuse to back him up last month had hurt, but to be addressed like this…

"Albus, you act like he's some sort of teenaged Dark Lord. But have you really looked at Harry?" The diminutive instructor shook his head in disappointment. "He's kind to house elves. He's currently paying for Miss Lovegood's expensive treatment. He worries about Draco. Have you seen him with the Creevey brothers? Those hyperactive boys drive him crazy, but he's always patient with them." With a chuckle, Filius amended the last statement, "Well, he's _usually_ patient with the Creevey's. It would take a saint to always be patient."

Albus gently nodded, "Yes, all very admirable behaviour. And yet… He is so unforgiving…"

"Dammit, Albus! He's training people that treated him horribly just so they have a chance if this war goes badly. And no, he hasn't forgotten all those attacks. Have you? Do you remember how many times he was in the infirmary? I believe one time nearly killed him." Filius waited for a response, but Albus said nothing. Growing frustrated, the Charms Master said what he had wanted to say for months. "You just can't stand that he isn't a miniature version of **you**!"

Albus had to force down his own temper. Occlumency… This was getting out of hand.

"That's not the case, Filius. I don't want him to be just like me, I want him to be _**better**_ than me."

Filius looked confused for a moment, "Albus, if I had been through what he went through… I'm sorry to say this old friend, but Harry was right. We would be in a much different a position if you had been less focused on forgiving and had focused instead on doggedly pursuing justice fifteen years ago."

Albus hated this. He knew he had failed and too many Death Eaters to escape justice, but there were extenuating circumstances.

"My hands were tied, Filius, you know that. The old families asserted their power in the Wizengamot to ensure their lines lived on. And the Dark Mark is so much more than a tattoo… It _**does**_ affect the wearer. Would you have me act like Barty Crouch?"

"No, not Crouch. But if you had acted more like Amelia Bones, you could have pressed for Veritaserum in the interrogations. If not Veritaserum, there are other ways to determine falsehood. Yes, you would have made enemies, but the enemies you would have made were never your friends to begin with."

Albus removed his glasses. "Had I done that; Severus now would be in Azkaban along with the others. Would you really want that?"

Filius tapped the table, his irritation showing. "Marlene McKinnon might say that's where he belongs."

Albus groaned. Ever since Harry shared that bit of information, Severus had been an outcast amongst the staff. He had been given no choice in his actions and it haunted him to this day. What possible good would sending him to Azkaban for life have accomplished?

"Filius, you don't really believe that…"

The Charms Master struck the table. "I sure as hell do! As does the rest of your staff. Marlene was a very dear young lady and what she went through… Wake up, Albus! Your refusal to aggressively stand against the old guard in the Wizengamot is the reason we're fighting this war again. You and your naive fixation on second and third chances for sadistic killers... How many Luna Lovegood's will have to pay for your failure to act?"

Albus knew Luna's attack had bothered Filius. Perhaps that's what has driven such an affable professor to openly question him. But he couldn't let this go on.

With a firm voice, Albus steered the discussion. "I'm not here to discuss my past errors, Filius. I'm here to determine if training Harry is another mistake."

Filius seemed to calm a bit. "Albus, it's no secret that the curse on your hand is worsening. I'm sorry to say this, but you're time here is limited. Can you realistically name one other person besides Harry that you would trust to carry on the fight when you're gone?" The last sentence was delivered with all the sensitivity and concern Albus had come to appreciate from his Charms Master.

Albus looked down at his withered hand. He mentally and methodically walked through his options. Miss Granger wasn't able to carry on the fight. She would freeze up when faced with having to take a life. Ronald Weasley was too emotional and might kill someone innocent. He tended to lead with his heart and only used his head when playing chess. In a few years, that would most certainly change, but Albus didn't have a few years. Cedric had all the tools and would fill the role nicely; except he couldn't make the hard choices. Cedric was too forgiving and trusting. He'd make the same mistakes Albus wished he hadn't made. With a sad chuckle, Albus realised he had just rejected Cedric for being too much like himself. Then there's that prophesy he had to consider. And that needed raw power. Power that only Harry possessed. That took William out of the running.

"No, Filius. Harry's the only one…"

The realisation of Cedric being too forgiving was a huge paradigm shift for Albus. Yes, it had to be Harry. Harry who was openly mistrustful and frequently angry. Harry who had been trained to think outside the box and looked for unexpected ways to defeat an enemy. Trained by Aurors and Curse-breakers and a Werewolf. Harry was no Dark Lord. He was just a relentless defender of those who couldn't protect themselves. Like Dobby and Luna. And the Creevey brothers…

Filius interrupted his thoughts once more. "Albus, I can't sit back and wait for any more students to perish. Either you train him, or I'll bring in a private tutor. From Tenochtitlán." Seeing Albus' shocked look, he added, "I'm serious Albus."

Albus was shocked to hear what Filius was proposing. "They practice Blood Magic. Worse, they practice Death Magic!"

Filius countered with, "They get the job done."

Albus gave a soft sigh and accepted the situation. "It seems I have no choice then. We'll begin after the holidays, as planned."

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Potions class**

**December 18, 1996**

**Wednesday**

Theo Nott was slowly stirring his potion in a clockwise direction. He reached over and collected three teaspoons of minced ginger and sprinkled it into his cauldron. After adding the ginger to his potion, he gently began stirring counter clockwise . Counting carefully to ten, he looked into his cauldron to see if the mixture was the correct colour.

It wasn't quite right. It seemed to be bubbling slightly. He looked over at his ingredients and realised the ginger was undisturbed. What had he just mixed in? He turned back and peered into his cauldron, only to have it erupt into his face. The mixture got into his nose, sinuses, and his eyes. Dimly he heard Professor Slughorn begin screaming for help as he felt the liquid begin to burn away everything it touched. He fell to the floor and began screaming.

Horace Slughorn stunned him and summoned the First Aid kit. He then began applying an Alkaline solution to counter the acid. Theo's eyes were melting and running down the sides of his face. All the students were focused on the horrific sight in front of them.

No one noticed Harry Potter smiling ever so briefly. He had to admit, Lily Potter knew her potions.

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts**

**Slug Club Holiday Party**

**December 20, 1996**

**Friday**

Harry and Ginny arrived a bit late to the Slug Club Holiday party due to Ginny and the Gryffindor Quidditch team having their own private celebration. From the aggressive look of her, Harry realised it involved a lot of flying. He didn't remember Woods doing anything before the holidays, so it must be Katie's thing. He didn't really resent the time she spent on Quidditch. He knew he had been the same way before his fourth year. It was actually good to see Ginny doing something she loved so much, he just wished their schedules didn't clash so much. Enough of that! Tomorrow, the school would break for the holidays and head home, but tonight was about having fun with Ginny.

As they entered the conference room housing the party, Harry noted there were Emerald, Crimson, and Gold drapes hanging from the ceiling and down the walls. The room was quite full and there was an ornate golden lamp dangling from the ceiling, casting a red light over the room. There was rather loud singing and the notes of a Mandolin coming from one of the corners. The entire room had a light haze of pipe smoke which smelled both spicy and sweet.

One oddity was what appeared to be roving tables, moving about the room. To Harry's astonishment, they weren't tables at all, but rather large trays being carried aloft by house elves. The food on the trays was varied and looked especially nice. The beverage trays appeared to be filled with either wine or water, depending on the tray. To the side of the room were the fixed tables of appetisers and beverages.

Searching the room, Harry saw two of his friends. Ron was filling a huge plate with food and Hermione was looking irritated with the sheer volume he was loading onto the plate. With a chuckle, Harry wondered if Ron knew the food on the trays and the tables were only the appetisers. Hermione was the official member and she brought Ron, but he was forced to promise her he'd mind his manners. He seemed to be trying…

Surprise, surprise, Cormac brought Padma. Or maybe it was the other way around. Harry knew Cormac and Katie were friends, but he hadn't realised he was close to Padma as well. They were both members of the club, but were they an item? Harry looked at Ginny and she smiled back at him and winked. Harry knew Ginny could practically read his mind and her wink confirmed it. Cormac and Padma were a couple.

Blaise Zabini was also there with Fay Dunbar. Now that was an odd pairing. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor. Neither of them seemed to pay him any mind, but Fay gave a small nod to Ginny. Wasn't Fay also one of the newer members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team? Harry was beginning to understand just how small his circle of friends really was.

Draco was there as well, but he seemed to have come alone. He was in a conversation with Horace and Snape. Harry tried not to show how much he despised his former Potions Master. Having him here at the party… Harry knew Ginny was looking forward to this, so he would do his best to ignore the disgusting man.

Harry heard Ginny gasp and he followed her gaze to three men talking to Professor Babbling. The Professor seemed to be overly excited to speak with them, but Harry only vaguely recognised the trio of men. And why was his post NEWT Runes professor acting so… odd. Yes, she was one of the youngest Professors on staff, but she never before _acted_ like it.

Ginny leaned toward him, she looked amused at his confusion, "Harry, that's three of the Weird Sisters! Clockwise from Professor Babbling you have Kirley Duke, the lead guitarist, Myron Wagtail, the lead singer, and Orsino Thurston, the drummer. They were all students here back in the eighties." Ginny giggled and added, "From the way Professor Babblings acting, I'd say she remembers them."

Harry laughed with her, "I guess Runes aren't her only passion!" They both laughed at that. Maybe tonight would be even more fun than he thought.

Harry stepped up and snagged two glasses of Champagne from a tray and handed one to Ginny. It was time to start making the rounds. Etiquette dictated he'd start with Professor Slughorn, the host. A little alcohol might get him through a night in the same room with Snape. That's when he noticed two other men.

Looking over the room, he saw two other men. One was rather short and stout with a rather large set of glasses on his nose. The other man was the one to really catch Harry's attention. He was tall and slender with black hair. He had dark circles under his eyes and seemed extremely pale. Harry opened his senses and realized the man's aura was also very pale. His magic seemed odd. Harry took a breath and suddenly caught a faint scent of decay. It was less a smell than a description of the man's magical… taste?

With a start, Harry knew what the man was. "Vampire." He whispered it, but Ginny heard him.

She whispered, "Quiet, Harry. Please stop staring, it's rude." Harry looked over at his date. She looked amused and slightly embarrassed. "Vampires are kind of like Veela and Werewolves, very misunderstood. A few bad apples in the Middle Ages gave them all a bad name."

Harry was suddenly embarrassed. "Right. So, Veela are misunderstood?" He knew Ginny didn't like Fleur, maybe she was softening.

Ginny gave him a playful, but wary look. "Depends on the Veela." Harry realised she was fine with Veela as long as they weren't dating her brother…

Changing the subject back to the Vampire, he asked, "So who do you think the other guy is?" Ginny shrugged, but before she could say anything, a woman shouted out his name with a slightly inebriated voice.

"Harry Potter! I knew you would be here… the Fates foretold of this meeting!" Professor Trelawney was quickly approaching him. Harry wanted to shrink into the floor. All the eyes were now on him. He saw Snape sneer out of the corner of his eye.

Ginny whispered frantically, "I'm going to go see Fay… Sorry, Harry." And she was gone.

Professor Trelawney quickly approached and before he knew it, she was right in front of him. "My students have shared your many contributions to the Divination club Mr. Potter. I was terribly sorry when I heard you wouldn't be in my class. Terribly sorry." She peered at him through enormous glasses, her eyes were magnified to a ridiculously comical degree.

"Yes, Professor. Mr. Oppenheimer has been instructing me." Awkward.

"Well, my door is always open to you my dear. Always open, just like the third eye… but you already know that don't you? Yes, yes… I can see that you do." Harry continued smiling, but deeply wanted this to end. Trelawney gave him the creeps.

"Thank you, Professor." Harry searched for a moment before complimenting her. "Lavender and Parvati have told me how much they enjoy your class." Harry thought he saw Ron snickering.

"Yes, yes. Both very gifted… very gifted."

Just when it started to become awkward, Padma Patil walked up. "Professor Trelawney, can I borrow Mr. Potter for a moment?" Without waiting, she grasped the end of Harry's sleeve, carefully avoiding any thorns and pulled him to a side table.

Harry noticed she was ever so slightly smiling. "Thanks Padma, that was… well timed."

"You owe me, Harry. Professor Trelawney's not normally so… outrageous. But she's had a few…" Padma then held up her own glass of wine but refrained from actually sipping it. When she arched her eyebrows, the meaning was clear. Everyone knew Professor Trelawney was a bit of a lush.

Harry sipped his own glass. "So, you and Cormac?"

Padma laughed musically and looked over at her date. He was talking with Ginny and Fay. "Yes, Cormac keeps me entertained. He's quite easy on the eyes, you know."

Harry just gave her an odd look. "Cormac? Well, he's kind of arrogant…" Harry knew he needed to shut up. "But hey, he's probably a decent guy. Good for you."

Padma shook her head and chuckled. "Don't get too carried away, Harry. Truthfully, he's not very bright, but he looks ever so nice in formal robes." Seeing Harry's odd look, she added, "What? Wizards don't go on dates with Witches based on looks?"

Harry stammered and tried to find the right words. He knew Wizards valued attractive partners, but he didn't think Witches would. He'd have to ask Ginny about it after the party. Was that why she was always pestering him about looking his best? If so… Yeah, he'd have to make more of an effort. Tuck in his shirt…

Padma seemed to enjoy watching Harry squirm, "So, how's the Divination training coming?"

Harry was relieved to be off the Cormac and personal appearance topic. "It's coming along fine. I've had a few visions that were rough, so we're taking a break from Oneiromancy* until after the Yule holidays. But Psychometry** is pretty much there. Bibliomancy*** throws me a lot, but I usually get it after the fact. Cartomancy**** is fairly natural, but it's all in the interpretation. Of course, that's true for most methods. We spend a lot of time on interpretation and understanding Divinatory theory."

Padma laughed. "Divinatory theory, Harry? I think you've been spending too much time with my sister."

Harry couldn't help but chuckle with her. "It's not what you think. Well, maybe it is." After a moment, he added, "If we have time tonight, I'll give you a Tarot card reading."

Padma set down her empty cup. "I'll hold you to it. Well, I better get back to my 'Trophy Wizard'. I'll see you around, Harry."

As she walked off, Harry thought about his Divination training. Fritz had stopped his training over a month ago and they planned to resume after the holidays. The official word was that Fritz, and the Department of Mysteries were working overtime in trying to track Voldemort. Harry knew Fritz really didn't think it likely and was actually spending most of his time building in escape routes from Britain for when the Ministry fell.

When it fell, not if. Fritz shared his prediction and plans with Harry in their last session. It would fall soon after Dumbledore died. Possibly next Autumn, but most likely over the Summer. He helped Harry make plans as well. Two Horcruxes left… The Snake and one other. In January, they would work to find the 'other' Horcrux. For now, he practiced the occasional Psychometric reading and his nightly Occlumency. His main focus was preparing the DA and mastering dual wanded combat.

Harry saw Horace was now in a deep discussion with one of the musicians in the 'Weird Sisters'. He couldn't remember the name and wasn't really all that interested in them. He decided to approach his host after he had broken away from the musician. He saw Hermione and Ron were now talking to Ginny. Ginny gave him a smile and gestured for him to join.

Walking forward he gave her a mock glare, "Traitor!" Everyone seemed amused.

Ginny blushed and smiled, "I'm sorry, Harry. But I did send Padma over to bail you out!"

Harry shook his head and sighed, "Fair enough. All's forgiven." He enjoyed spending time with Padma. She was a less serious version of Hermione.

The four of them were soon joined by Padma and Cormac. They discussed the Defence group and the plans for after the Holidays. The members were now able to hold their own against the Slytherins in Snape's Defence class. Harry noted that they had all made significant progress and the basic spell chains looked good.

Everyone had been shown a basic duelling style and it was highly effective for most of the members. After the holidays, Harry would show the more athletic members a style that relied more on dodging and counter curses as well as defensive spell volleying. He was going to increase the team training as well after he met with Tonks and Remus.

Harry chose not to share Fritz's last discussion. The Unspeakable had made it clear Harry needed to prepare the group for an occupation. Prepare them without telling them. Hogwarts would still be reasonably safe, but precautions would had to be taken. Strategies would stress stealth and survival. Never travel alone, always aware of the area… situational awareness was key. He'd also have to teach them how to check their food and drink for poisons and potions… So much to do and cover. Maybe Fred and George could help… But that was next year. For now, he'd let them have a fun night without worry.

The group soon broke apart and Horace came over and greeted Harry. "Harry and Ginevra, it's so good to see you both. Harry, you'll be sitting beside me tonight. I look forward to hearing about your training with Albus. And Miss Weasley, from what I'm hearing, your skills as a chaser are nothing short of amazing."

While he was talking, Horace subtly 'herded' them to the table as only a skilled veteran of many dinner parties can. Once seated, Harry realised just how much Andromeda had taught him. He also realised Hermione must have had some form of training as she seemed very at ease. Her social 'gaffs' were not considered incorrect to the modern muggle world. They were common 'tells' in Muggle-born students, according to Andromeda. Basically, Wizarding etiquette was still in the eighteen hundreds.

Harry noted Padma and the Slytherin students were in their element, with both Padma and Blaise having slightly different training due to their foreign upbringing. It was all perfectly acceptable, given their cultural differences and it was still very polished. There were really only three attendees that stood out as untrained.

Fay Dunbar was obviously not trained despite her status as a half-blood. She was still well behaved, and no one cared if she used the wrong fork. The same was true for Ginny and Ron. Ginny was similar to Fay in that she carried herself well but occasionally used the wrong utensil while Ron was noticeably shovelling food into his mouth as fast as possible. It was obvious he was nervous… Of course, being seated beside Snape may have had something to do with it. Hermione was occasionally elbowing him.

Horace was the perfect host; he kept the conversations moving along and made a point to engage as many of his guests as possible. It was a nice dinner, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The only difficult point came when Horace mentioned his last Potions class with the sixth years.

Horace practically sneered. "That Theodore Nott! I don't know what's gotten into him. The poor lad lost both of his eyes… He'll have to have them regrown in St. Mungo's over the holiday. He may never completely regain his sense of smell." Horace shook his head, then looked at Snape, "What on earth was the boy thinking adding Mandrake root to such a volatile potion… The only reason I haven't expelled him from the class is that I was friends his Grandfather, Cantankerous Nott."

Snape drawled out, "I never observed Theodore Nott making any such errors." He then peered directly at Harry, "It's almost as if he was… tricked… somehow." It was clearly an accusation.

Harry met his gaze and didn't flinch. "Tricked, Professor Snape? You mean like the way Miss Lovegood was 'tricked'?"

Missing the hostility between the two, Horace sipped his wine and continued, "No, no, no, Harry. In the last two months, that boy has become a walking disaster. He's fallen down three flights of stairs, He picked up a _razor-sharp_ knife by the wrong end… and tried to use it!" Horace shook his head in distaste. "Blood everywhere… The boy is a basket case. I fear I'll have to ask him not to return to Advanced Potions. Sad, really. But safety is of the utmost importance in the potions classroom."

Harry continued to stare at Snape. He knew that Snape knew Theo was guilty. Harry had been using very subtle illusions to absolutely ruin Theo Nott at every opportunity. Not having him in Potions class would impact his ability to affect the boy. He also no longer sprinted down staircases… This would get more difficult. If only Dumbledore would expel the junior Death Eater.

Soon enough, the conversation turned to Eldred Worple and his time with Vampires. Both Eldred and Sanguini, his Vampire guest, were excellent conversationalists. They discussed the coming book tour and Vampiric society in general. Vampiric society was remarkably interesting, but at least five hundred years in the past. It actually made Wizarding society seem very modern in comparison.

Sanguini regularly referred to the United States as 'The Colonies' and became confused when discussions were raised around Eastern European countries. He did, however, share a bit about his mortal life during the early days of Wallachia. Only once did Harry see him gazing at Ginny. Harry only need to pump a bit of magic into a stare to get him to look away. Glowing eyes tended to do that.

As dessert arrived, the conversation shifted to the next 'Weird Sisters' tour and the different countries they would be travelling through. It was very interesting to hear about the places they had been in their travels and Sanguini asked many questions. Eventually, the conversations and the food reached an end. As the group was rising to leave, Horace made a point to have Draco and Harry promise to return to discuss politics over brandy and cigars.

Overhearing, Snape sneered. "Potter would never understand the political nuances of our society."

Before Harry could retort, Horace barked out. "Severus, you know as well as I do that Lord Potter is the Heir of two prominent families. If he hasn't been trained, then I'll make sure to remedy that myself."

Harry noted Horace referred him as 'Lord Potter'. That seemed to sour Snape tremendously. Looking at the contemptuous glare from Snape, Harry made a point to glare back with just as much disdain. Staring into Snape's black eyes, Harry thought about the innocents who suffered under the Death Eater. Marlene McKinnon… His own family… Others.

Harry actually hoped Snape would try something. He thought, 'Do it, Snape. Pull your wand…' He was so done with trading insults with the GIT. Harry so desperately wanted to put him in the grave. It was high time Snape was held accountable for his many crimes and sins. If not for this greasy bastard, he'd still have a family…

Harry noticed everyone was staring at him. The room was freezing… He'd let his magic seep out. He instinctively pulled it back in and tried to relax. Without breaking eye contact with Snape, he said, "I look forward to seeing you later tonight, Horace. I'll be back in thirty minutes."

Snape turned abruptly and stormed out. It was clear he was furious and wanted to distance himself from Harry. Harry briefly laughed. Snape thought he was the most powerful Wizard in the room. Well, they'd see about that soon enough. Next year…

Horace cleared his throat. "Yes, yes, Harry. We'll see you soon enough." After a very brief pause, "That was quite the display of magic. Pine and roses… nice and holiday appropriate." Always the witty host…

Harry smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry sir, Professor Snape loves to insult me and I'm afraid I let it get to me. I'm told he hated my father."

Horace looked sad for a moment. "Yes… well, there was more to that as well. I believe it's as the muggles say, 'you snooze, and you lose'. But taking his frustrations out on you is poor form. And that's not just my opinion, either." Horace was clearly disgusted. "Severus needs to grow up."

Looking around and seeing the group had thinned to just himself, Ginny and Draco, Harry handed Horace a small gift. "Merry Christmas and Happy Yule, Horace." It was a silver set of cigar clippers with the Slytherin and Slughorn crests on it. Goblin made and of the highest quality, it was paired with an ashtray and a dragon hide cigar case of matching design. Harry knew Horace would love it.

He walked Ginny back to the Gryffindor dorms and enjoyed every moment with her. They arrived right at curfew. Tonight, was incredibly nice and Harry wished he could kiss her. The thorns would be gone soon enough. Three and half more months… It wasn't just Ginny that he longed to touch… He hadn't been hugged in almost a year. His own familiar couldn't wrap herself around him… Soon.

Tomorrow they'd ride back to London and prepare for the New Year.

— **DoD—**

**Grimmauld Place**

**December 22, 1996**

**Sunday**

Harry, Draco, and Hermione were sitting in the Study of Grimmauld Place enjoying their school break. The door was closed, and privacy wards had been raised. The Weasleys were collecting personal effects from the Burrow, so the house was quiet.

Harry had just explained to his two friends what he knew about Horcruxes and Legilimency. Draco was surprised, but Hermione was absolutely horrified. Harry knew it would take time for it all to sink in. Over the break, he intended to introduce her to Occlumency. It was a bit frightening what she'd be like with an Occlumency organised mind, but she had to protect herself. Draco already had the skill, but he'd be working to strengthen it.

Draco was visibly repulsed as he asked, "So, how many are there? There has to be a maximum before the soul becomes brittle and falls apart. Really, creating more than one seems like a foolish risk."

Harry agreed, "Splintering a soul seven times is beyond stupid, and it almost certainly results in insanity. Dumbledore thinks the Dark Mark is some kind of stabiliser. It spreads the insanity out across a few dozen people. It probably worked pretty well at first, but after the third or fourth split… Well, there's only so much that can be done. The Department of Mysteries believes the Mark also feeds on pain and misery. Either the misery of the bearer or their victims. It allows Voldemort to harvest that power. It likely helped sustain Voldemort while he had Death Eaters suffering in Azkaban."

Draco closed his eyes. Harry knew he was probably thinking about his father. It explained how all those aristocratic 'stick up their arse' pure bloods became raping psychopaths. It really did all make sense when you step back and look at it, but that didn't absolve the Death Eaters from their own crimes. Most of them joined up knowing how bad Voldemort was. Only the original supporters thought it was a political movement.

Hermione was still recovering, but managed to ask, "How many, Harry?"

Harry realised he never answered Draco's question. "We think there are two left. The Snake and one other. I've been trying to use my Oneiromancy* to get a handle on the last unknown one, but I'm not having any luck."

Draco stared at Harry for a minute. "What aren't you telling us?"

Harry dropped the other shoe, "Mr. Oppenheimer thinks the Ministry will fall. Sometime before next winter. He's predicted it to occur after Dumbledore dies."

Hermione practically screeched, "What?!"

Harry winced. "Yeah… The curse on his hand is getting worse. When I look at it and focus on the magic, it's pretty obvious he won't last another year." Seeing the shock on both students faces, he added, "He made a mistake." Among curse-breakers, a mistake means you got killed. Now he realised he should have broken this to Hermione a bit more gently.

Hermione wasn't ready to accept that. "Surely there's something that can be done…" Tears were welling up in her eyes.

Harry gently shook his head. "No, Hermione. He should have died within an hour of activating the curse. Somehow, they managed to slow it down, but it is still growing."

Draco considered it, "Can't they just remove the hand? Then re-grow a new one?"

Harry knew enough about curses to answer that. "No. It's in his pattern now. The hand is just a symptom of the curse. You won't visibly see it spreading up his arm, but it's already affected his whole body. He has something like eight or nine more months, then…" Harry let the sentence trail off. Harry wasn't a healer, but he knew his curses.

Hermione was openly crying now. "So, what happens next? And why are you only telling us?"

Harry took a deep breath. "Next year, I don't plan to return to Hogwarts. I'm going to actively search for the last Horcrux. Then I can kill the Snake and Voldemort together. But not until I find the last Horcrux." Reluctantly, he added, "I'd like you two to come with me."

Draco gave a slight nod, but Hermione looked stunned.

She asked, "What about… Ron? What about Ginny?" She sounded almost like she was accusing him, but Harry understood. This was a lot to drop on them.

"I can't send Ginny back to Hogwarts, but if the Ministry falls, Mr. Weasley would be held accountable if she's not enrolled. But I'm working on a plan for that."

Hermione waited, then asked, "What about Ron?"

Harry really was dreading this. "Hermione, Ron means well, but he… I can't do this with anyone I don't trust one hundred percent. He never means to screw up…' Seeing her about to argue, "Remember fourth year? Besides, if he doesn't go back to Hogwarts, his family will be treated as criminals just the same as if Ginny doesn't go back. That could mean a death sentence."

Hermione made one more plea. "Harry, you have to at least **tell** him…" Harry knew they were dating, and he hated this.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I have zero doubt Ron will be interrogated about my plans if the Ministry collapses. I'll have to stage some kind of falling out before this year's over." Harry decided to change the subject before Hermione forced him to discuss how he didn't completely trust Ron. Not after the Eiectio in their fourth year. "You need to either bring your parents here or see about getting them out of the country."

Hermione just closed her eyes. She was still weeping softly. Completely overwhelmed.

Harry said the final piece. "Hermione, it might be best if you leave with your parents…"

She opened her eyes and looked enraged. "Harry Potter, do not even try to send me away!"

Harry didn't want her to leave, but he had to make her consider the option.

"Right… but I'd understand if…"

"No!" She made to slap him but thought better of it. "You and your damn thorns…"

Harry hated this. "Alright, Mione. So, you tell Ron and a few others you have an escape plan to get out of the country. Let's go with Canada or Australia. That way if Ron is legillimized or questioned under Veritaserum, your folks will be safe."

"I see. And what lie will you tell Ginny?" Hermione asked the question far sharper than she had intended.

"Only that I'm going on the run if the Ministry falls. I haven't worked out the plan yet, but I'll be taking her with me. I just can't tell her that yet."

Hermione sniffed a bit and wiped a tear away. "And the trace?"

"Already removed. It helps to have friends in the Department of Mysteries."

Draco spoke up for the first time since the meeting started, "Wait, just for her?"

Harry grinned, "Nope. You, me, Hermione, Neville, and Ron. But Neville and Ron can't find out, they'll give it away. Just make sure you all learn Apparition. Training starts when we get back and we're going to need it."

Hermione scrunched up her forehead and asked, "So, we just go wandering about looking for a Horcrux?"

Harry chuckled. "No. We stay here and use this as our base of operations. If Bill can't cast it, I can help the Weasleys put up a Fidelius over the Burrow, letting them move back. I'll recast one for Grimmauld Place, and it'll just be us. Well, the Tonks family and Draco's mum as well. Grimmauld Place is set on a few minor ley lines, so we can Apparate exceptionally long distances from here. We can pretty much get anywhere in Britain with three jumps."

Draco seemed apprehensive. "Harry, can you really beat him? If not, we can always leave Britain. There are plenty of Black properties in Europe and we can help other countries prepare."

Harry made a fist, his thorns digging into his own skin painfully. "Yeah, I can beat him. But we need to get rid of the last two Horcruxes." He still needed Dumbledore to train him, though.

Seeing a trace of doubt in his friends faces, he added, "I'm better than I was in the Ministry. Remember, Voldemort can only sustain a finite number of those tattoos. If I can kill off enough of the marked Death Eaters, his power reserves will be reduced. The Department of Mysteries doesn't think he can just create Death Eaters at will. It's a whole ceremony and he can probably only do a few at a time. Most likely seven on the night of a 'new moon'. If I kill eight a month, he'll lose them faster than they can be replenished. So, yeah, I'll be fighting to kill. No stunners. If the Ministry falls, we have to fight to kill."

Draco nodded, but Hermione hesitated. This was a lot to ask of anyone.

She turned to him; the concern etched on her face. "I don't know if I'm ready to kill, Harry. I don't know if I'll ever be ready."

Harry understood. "You help me with the Horcrux, I'll do the rest."

— **DoD—**

**Hogwarts Express**

**January 5, 1997**

**Sunday**

Harry was sitting quietly as the train brought them closer to Hogwarts. The holiday break had passed by all too quickly. The days had been fun, but too short. Bill managed to set up a Fidelius over the Burrow and the family planned to move back before summer. Molly needed her own space and she never really liked Grimmauld Place. Harry suspected it was as much Kreacher and Narcissa Malfoy she wanted to get away from, but he kept that to himself. At least this year they had a great big Christmas and Yule Holiday celebration.

The twins came through for him with cartons of Peruvian Instant Darkness and other odds and ends. He'd make sure to stow them in the Room of Requirement for the DA. The Invisible Head hats would ensure anonymity of there was ever an altercation. A dozen shielded cloaks were purchased as well. No, they wouldn't stop a serious curse, but they would help against minor jinxes and hexes. But the best thing he was brining was his own handwritten training guide.

Harry looked down and began thumbing through his short Urban Combat training guide. He had worked diligently with and Tonks and Remus over the holidays putting it together. It wasn't as technical as what his grandfather had written, but it was simple and to the point. Remus' illustrations, while not professional quality, were actually rather good. Better than Harry's stick figures. The man was full of surprises.

Half of the manual was based on the school and half was generic to a city or town. It wasn't going to make anyone a death dealing commando, but it would make the DA members more effective at getting out of dangerous situations. It had an overview of Muggle London and using things like the subway and other crowded venues to escape dangerous situations. Of course, Apparition was the best solution as long as it wasn't blocked.

Harry looked up and around the compartment and was flattered to see most of the others reading the same manual. They'd have to come up with a way to magically hide them. Can't share their playbook… And it had to be kept out of Death Eater hands. Maybe it could be tied to the owner is some weird way. Harry had asked Hermione to look into it for him.

"Hey Ron, Nev? Got a minute?" When both boys looked up, Harry began laying the groundwork for Hogwarts.

"I want to train you two to take over for me at Hogwarts." Seeing their blank faces Harry added, "I won't be coming back next year and if things go bad… I need you guys to keep people safe."

Harry wasn't going to tell them about Fritz's prediction of the Ministry falling, but he'd make sure they were ready.

Ron looked flattered. "Sure thing mate."

Neville seemed suspicious but gave a brief nod.

Hermione remained silent and never looked up from her book. The sudden reddening of her cheeks was the only giveaway that she had heard anything at all.

— **DoD—**

**Scotland**

**Outer Hebrides**

**January 10, 1997**

In the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, there is an unplottable island that has been used by Albus Dumbledore for many years. It is this island that he used to develop and perfect his impressive abilities. The landscape was rocky and barren, showing the effects of numerous explosive curses and it would likely never support life. It is this location that Albus Dumbledore brought Harry to begin his Battle Magic Training.

As the two Apparated with a popping sound, Albus directed Harry to a large and somewhat flat area. Many years ago, he and Gellert practiced there. They were so foolish and vain. But they trained themselves to be the best of their generation. Now Albus was training the next premier Mage of the Wizarding World, Harry Potter.

"Harry, I want you to start out slowly. We'll begin as a simple duel, then we'll switch to Battle Magic with area effect curses and the like. You've read the books, now we'll put it to practice."

Albus noted Harry looking about. "Professor, is this a safe location?"

"Yes, Harry. It is quite safe, and I've been using it for years. We'll come here three times a week. Today, we'll focus on using our full arsenals against each other. In the future, I'll transfigure other combatants to better simulate full scale battle."

Harry looked confused, "Why not start out with the extra targets?"

Albus smiled and shrugged, "I want to better understand your capabilities, my boy. Today we set the base line. In the future we'll be pushing it forward."

Harry gave brief nod, then asked, "What are the rules of engagement?"

Albus gave Harry a wry grin. "We're well past rules at this point, Harry. Hold nothing back, but when one of us achieves a victory, we cease."

Harry looked apprehensive. "I usually pull back a bit with Filius… Are you sure?"

Albus smiled broadly, "I'm _**quite**_ sure, Harry."

Over the next hour and a half, the two wizards had five separate 'battles. The individual battles lasted less than ten minutes each and there was a need for healing and recovery between bouts. When the battles were over, Albus was the victor each time. In each battle, there were complex transfigurations, illusions, curses, and even elemental attacks. Harry held back in the first battle, but by the third battle, he was going all out.

Albus sat in a transfigured chair and finished drinking his Wiggenweld healing potion, feeling it repair a number of minor injuries. Harry was doing the same and was also drinking a blood replenisher after being on the receiving end of a well-placed cutting curse. More than ever before, Albus was coming to realise just how much talent young Harry had. Filius was right, in three months, Harry would be the one winning the majority of their battles. Possibly sooner if Albus' magic began to wither.

Harry's speed and reaction time was beyond any foe Albus had ever met beside Gellert and Bellatrix. He was definitely using some form of very short-term Divination… Filius was correct about that as well. How much faster would he be when the thorns were gone? Albus had only won the last two 'battles' on pure experience and creativity. Harry was still adjusting to two wands and from time to time, he missed an opportunity due to 'wand confusion'. But that wouldn't last. At some point in February or March, Harry would be so used to fighting dual wanded, it would be second nature.

Albus had a secondary reason for wanting to start their sessions with 'one on one' battle duels. He knew he could best Harry at this point in his training. He wanted to see if the Elder wand would shift its loyalty back to him. In each of their 'battles', the wand worked flawlessly, until he gained the upper hand. Then it… resisted. It was subtle and hard to describe, but Albus knew the wand would refuse to cast anything lethal once the battle was decided. He suspected the wand was somehow 'letting him' train Harry, but not injure him in a permanent way.

He had always suspected the wand was sentient, now he knew it. It was sentient in ways the cloak and the stone weren't. Or perhaps, the cloak and the stone simply ignored him in favor of Harry. So, now he finally had access to all three of the Deathly Hallows, but he'd lost the loyalty of the wand. He had vowed long ago never to unite the three, but he still found it ironic. As the Master of Death… he might be immune to the curse that was killing him… Well, who knows? Maybe not. At least he could now leave this world knowing he did the right thing and, despite what Harry thought of him, he always _**tried**_ to do the right thing.

"Good showing, Harry. I must say, I'm impressed at how far you've come." He looked down at his student and smiled. He meant it.

Harry looked up and gave a simple nod. "Thank you, sir."

There was little warmth in the acknowledgement. But it was professional and polite. Courteous, even. Albus was thankful for that, at least. No, they would never be close like he had been with Nicholas. That ship had sailed, as the Muggles say. Harry had judged him and found him wanting. People had always thought Albus had an even temper, but that's just Occlumency. He lost his temper from time to time just like anyone else… Like when he demanded Harry hand over his wands. And there was no coming back from it. He had to accept that his own poor decisions and actions had soured the relationship… Well, time to make lemonade.

"Let's head back, Harry. You did very well today. We'll review your performance in the Pensieve and find areas to improve upon."

***Oneiromancy = Dream Divination.**

****Psychometry = Divinatory readings from objects.**

*****Bibliomancy = Divination from books. Open a book and read a random passage, then interpret it.**

******Cartomancy = Using cards for Divinatory readings. Tarot cards and Oracle Cards are examples.**

**Alright, two more chapters and we wrap up Harry's sixth year and chapter 45 will be bloody. Harry's seventh year will be fairly bloody as well, but that's to be expected. My plan is to wrap this story up on chapter 50 and shift the majority of my focus back to Casting Shadows. Expect me to release one of my stories every two weeks or so.**

**Thanks.**


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